rein
pronunciation
How to pronounce rein in British English:
UK [reɪn]
How to pronounce rein in American English:
US [reɪn]
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- Noun:
- one of a pair of long straps (usually connected to the bit or the headpiece) used to control a horse
- any means of control
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- Verb:
- control and direct with or as if by reins
- stop or slow up one's horse or oneself by or as if by pulling the reins
- stop or check by or as if by a pull at the reins
- keep in check
Word Origin
- rein
- rein: [13] A rein is etymologically something that ‘retains’. It goes back via Old French rene to Vulgar Latin *retina, a descendant of the Latin verb retinēre ‘hold back’, from which English gets retain and retinue. The rein for horses has no connection with the rein- of reindeer [14], incidentally; that comes from Old Norse hreinn ‘reindeer’, which may be of Lappish origin.=> retain, retinue
- rein (n.)
- c. 1300, "strap fastened to a bridle," from Old French rene, resne "reins, bridle strap, laces" (Modern French rêne), probably from Vulgar Latin *retina "a bond, check," back-formation from Latin retinere "hold back" (see retain). To give something free rein is originally of horses.
- rein (v.)
- c. 1300, from rein (n.). Figurative extension "put a check on" first recorded 1580s. Related: Reined; reining. To rein up "halt" (1550s) is from the way to make a horse stop by pulling up on the reins.
Example
- 1. Electronics goods sales are suffering as consumers rein in spending .
- 2. Private equity 's real contribution might be to rein in chinese companies .
- 3. All of that led to the broad effort from the obama administration to enlist china to rein in pyongyang .
- 4. One of her main objectives is to rein in unauthorized use of her father 's image .
- 5. The central bank would probably trust him to rein in public spending .