Word
rein
US/ˈɹeɪn/
UK/ɹˈeɪn/
Definitions
01horse control straps
n. long leather straps attached to a horse's head that you pull to guide or stop the animal.
n. a long, narrow strap attached to the bit of a bridle, used by a rider or driver to control a horse or other animal.
“She pulled on the left rein to make the horse turn toward the gate.”
“The rider gripped the leather reins firmly as the horse began to gallop toward the open field.”
Pitfall
The king's rein lasted forty years.
The king's reign lasted forty years.
Do not confuse 'rein' (horse strap) with 'reign' (a monarch's period of rule).
04kidneys
n. an old word for the kidneys or the deep feelings inside a person.
n. the kidneys, or the seat of the feelings and passions. This sense is restricted to historical or biblical contexts.
“The old text spoke of God searching the hearts and reins of men.”
“In early modern medical treatises, the reins were often discussed as the source of specific bodily humours.”
Archaic · Literary
Real-World Examples
“It raises some reasonable questions therefore about how to balance reining in borrowing with protecting mildly better confidence?” “As Bessent opened meetings of the Group of 20 finance ministers in Asheville on Monday, he said he wants to focus on ways to grow the global economy and rein in mounting debt.” Etymology
As a German surname, borrowed from German Rein, comparable to the first element of several surnames such as Reinhardt, Reinbold, etc., from Proto-Germanic raginą. * As an English surname, variant of Rain. Possibly also a habitational surname related to Rhine.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Idioms
hold the reins — To be in charge, to be in control, as of a business, political organization, or other group.
take the reins — Synonym of take control.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/rein