rein

Definition of rein

9 senses · 3 parts of speech · etymology included

noun

A strap or rope attached to a bridle or bit, used to control a horse, other animal or young child.

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noun

A strap or rope attached to a bridle or bit, used to control a horse, other animal or young child.
(figuratively)An instrument or means of curbing, restraining, or governing.

“The government is attempting to keep a rein on rising prices.”
“Let their eyes rove without rein.”
(archaic, plural)A kidney.

“a man subject to these like imaginations[…]hath often the stone imaginarily, before he have it in his reines[…].”
“He hath caused the arrows of his quiver to enter into my reins.”
The inward impulses; the affections and passions, formerly supposed to be located in the area of the kidneys.

“My reins rejoice, when thy lips speak right things.”
“I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts.”
(abbreviation, acronym, alt-of, uncountable)Acronym of repetitive electrical impulse noise.

verb

(transitive)To direct or stop a horse by using reins.

“He mounts and reins his horse.”
(transitive)To restrain; to control; to check.

“Being once chafed, he cannot / Be reined again to temperance.”
“After an interval that he judged to have lasted twenty minutes, the bed began to shake with poorly reined sobs.”
(intransitive)To obey directions given with the reins.

“She worked each horse at a walk, trot, and then a canter. The horses reined well and executed stops quickly.”

name

A surname from German.

Definitions from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA.

Etymology

From Middle English rein, reyne, from Anglo-Norman reyne, resne, from Early Medieval Latin retina, ultimately from Classical Latin retineō (“hold back”), from re- + teneō (“keep, hold”). Compare modern French…

See full etymology

From Middle English rein, reyne, from Anglo-Norman reyne, resne, from Early Medieval Latin retina, ultimately from Classical Latin retineō (“hold back”), from re- + teneō (“keep, hold”). Compare modern French rêne. Displaced native Old English brīdel (“bridle, rein”), Old English wealdleþer, ġewealdleþer (“rein, bridle”, literally “control strap”), Old English sāl (“cord, rein”), Old English tiġel (“rein”), and Old English lāttēh, lāttēh (“leash, rein”).

Anagrams of rein

9 plays · some not in Scrabble

Words you can make from rein

9 playable · top: ERN (3 pts)

Best play ern 3 points

3-letter words

3 words

2-letter words

5 words

Hooks

2 extensions · 2 back

A single letter you can add to rein to make another valid word.