Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Email
Answers.com

rein

 
Dictionary: rein   (rān) pronunciation
n.
  1. A long narrow leather strap attached to each end of the bit of a bridle and used by a rider or driver to control a horse or other animal. Often used in the plural.
  2. A means of restraint, check, or guidance.
  3. A means or an instrument by which power is exercised. Often used in the plural: the reins of government.

v., reined, rein·ing, reins.

v.tr.
  1. To check or hold back by or as if by the use of reins. Often with in, back, or up.
  2. To restrain or control.
v.intr.

To control a horse, for example, with reins.

idioms:

draw in the reins

  1. To slow down or stop by or as if by pressure on the reins.
give free (or full) rein to
  1. To release from restraints; allow to go unchecked: gave rein to her emotions.
tight rein
  1. Close control: kept expenses on a tight rein.

[Middle English, from Old French resne, reine, from Vulgar Latin *retina, from Latin retinēre, to retain. See retain.]


Search unanswered questions...
Enter a question here...
Search: All sources Community Q&A Reference topics
Thesaurus: rein
Top

verb

    To control, restrict, or arrest. bit2, brake, bridle, check, constrain, curb, hold, hold back, hold down, hold in, inhibit, keep, keep back, pull in, restrain. See restraint/unrestraint.

Antonyms: rein
Top

v

Definition: restrain, control
Antonyms: free, let go


Narrow strip of thin leather or other fabric attached to both ends of a bit in a horse's bridle making a loop which passes through the hands of the driver/rider. Used to direct the horse's head and so change its direction.

  • bearing r. — a fixed rein attached to the saddle or backpad and to the bridle to prevent the horse from lowering its head too far.
  • check r. — runs from the bit or the crown of the bridle to the saddle in vehicle harness. Limits the range of movements that the horse can make. Is a fixed but adjustable check and is not under the control of the rider/driver.
  • neck r. — not a piece of harness; is the technique in which the rider moves his/her hands to one side of the horse's neck thus touching the horse with the rein on one side of the neck. The well-schooled horse will move in the other direction.
  • running r. — runs from the rider, through the rings of the bit and back to the girth. For horses in harness is a very powerful restrainer.
  • side r. — extends on either side from the bit, through rings on a saddle or pad and ends with the driver walking beside the horse. Used in training a horse to cart harness.
Word Tutor: rein
Top
pronunciation

IN BRIEF: A strap for guiding and controlling a horse.

pronunciation Matrimonially speaking, a bridle for the tongue is better than a rein for the heart. — Minna Thomas Antrim

Wikipedia: Rein
Top
Reins are used to slow and direct the animal
Reins attached to the rings or shanks of a bit
Split reins attached to a western style snaffle bit

Reins are items of horse tack, used to direct a horse or other animal used for riding or driving. Reins can be made of leather, nylon, metal, or other materials, and attach to a bridle via either its bit or its noseband.

Contents

Use for riding

Reins are used to give subtle commands or cues, also known as rein aids. Various commands may signal a turn, ask for a slower speed, request a halt or rein back. Rein aids are used along with leg aids, shifting of body weight, and sometimes voice commands.

Harness reins

On some types of harnesses there might be supporting rings or "turrets" used to carry the reins over the animal's back. When pairs of equines are used in drawing a wagon or coach it is usual for the outer side of each pair to be connected to the reins and for the inside of the bits to be connected between the pair of horses by a short bridging strap or rope. The driver carries "four-in-hand" or "six-in-hand" being the number of reins connecting to the pairs.

Other uses

A single rein or rope may be attached to a halter to lead or guide a horse or packhorse. A long rein called a longe line may be used to allow the horse to move in a circle for training purposes, or for the purpose of a clinical lameness evaluation by a veterinarian. On certain designs of headgear, a third rein may be added to the paired reins, used for leading, longeing, or other specialized or stylistic purposes. The best-known example of a third rein used in the USA is the leading rein of the mecate of the classic bosal hackamore.

Types

Types of reins include:

  • Closed reins — (also called Loop reins) reins that are either a single piece or that buckle together at the ends. English riders usually use closed reins. Western riders in timed rodeo events use a single closed rein, as do those who use a romal. A closed rein helps prevent the rider from dropping the reins.
  • Split reins — a rein style seen in western riding where the reins are not attached to one another at the ends. They prevent a horse from tangling its feet in a looped rein, particularly when the rider is dismounted. They are considerably longer than closed reins.
  • Side reins — used when longeing a horse, attached from the bit to the saddle or surcingle, they are not meant to be held by the rider.
  • Long reins, longlines, or driving lines — exceptionally long reins which allow the rider to control the horse from a cart, or from the ground, with the handler walking behind the horse.
  • Romal reins — a rein style from the vaquero tradition that incorporates a closed rein with a long quirt at the end.
  • Mecate — a style of rein seen on a bosal style hackamore made of a single piece of rope that encompasses both a closed rein and a leading rope.
  • Reins used on bridles with two reins:
    • Snaffle rein — Usually a laced rein that buckles at the center, used on the bradoon of a double bridle, or the upper ring of a pelham bit.
    • Curb rein: The rein used at the end of the shank of a curb bit or pelham. Modern curb reins usually buckle together at the ends, though reins of the classical curb were sewn together at the ends to create a single rein.
  • Draw reins and running reins — long reins, usually made of leather or nylon webbing, that attach to the saddle or the girth, run through the bit rings, and back to the rider. Several design variations, they add mechanical advantage to the rider's hands and may the horse's ability to raise its head. Often used in conjunction with a snaffle rein by English riders, usually used alone by western riders.
  • Lead rein — A third rein used on bridles, not to be confused with the single lead rope of a halter nor the direct rein aid known as the "leading rein." In North Americaa third rein is most commonly seen as part of the mecate of a hackamore. In Mongolia it is integral to the bridle, and tied to either a bit ring or a chin strap.
  • Double reins—The combined use of two pairs of reins, a curb rein and a snaffle rein. This is usually two single (buckled or sewn) reins, though sometimes split reins may be seen on western-style bridles. Double reins are used with a double bridle, with bits such as the Pelham bit and, less often, on some gag bits used for polo.

In popular expression

In popular culture, to rein in means to hold back, slow down, control or limit. Sometimes the eggcorn, reign in, is used.

Wide usage of the opposing free rein can be dated to the early 1950s[1], and means to give or allow complete freedom, in action and decision over something.

See also

References

  1. ^ Merriam Webster definition of "free rein". Accessed March 3, 2008

Translations: Rein
Top

Dansk (Danish)
n. - tømme, tøjle, styr, kontrol
v. tr. - tøjle, styre, kontrollere, bremse
v. intr. - holde an, stoppe

idioms:

  • draw rein    holde an, stoppe, stramme tøjlerne
  • give free rein to    give frit løb, give frie tøjler
  • keep a tight rein on    holde i stramme tøjler
  • rein back    holde an
  • rein in    holde an
  • the reins of power    (sidde) på magten

Nederlands (Dutch)
teugel, leidsel, beteugelen

Français (French)
n. - (Équit, fig) rêne
v. tr. - retenir, guider, contrôler, munir de rênes
v. intr. - contrôler (un cheval) avec les rênes, se discipliner

idioms:

  • draw rein    tirer les rênes
  • give free rein to    donner libre cours à
  • keep a tight rein on    (fig) tenir la bride haute à (qn), (fig) surveiller étroitement, (fig) ne pas se laisser aller à
  • rein back    (lit) faire reculer, (fig) freiner
  • rein in    (lit) freiner (qch) avec les rênes, (fig) contenir, retenir (qn)
  • the reins of power    les rênes du pouvoir

Deutsch (German)
n. - Zügel
v. - zügeln

idioms:

  • draw rein    die Zügel anziehen
  • give free rein to    freien Lauf lassen
  • keep a tight rein on    im Zaum halten
  • rein back    zügeln
  • rein in    zügeln
  • the reins of power    Macht

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - ηνία, χαλινάρι(α), γκέμι(α)
v. - χαλιναγωγώ, ελέγχω

idioms:

  • draw rein    χαλιναγωγώ, συμμαζεύω, (καθομ.) εγκαταλείπω την προσπάθεια
  • give free rein to    αφήνω ελεύθερο
  • keep a tight rein on    ελέγχω αυστηρά
  • rein back    συγκρατώ με χαλινάρια
  • rein in    χαλιναγωγώ
  • the reins of power    τα ηνία της εξουσίας

Italiano (Italian)
redine

idioms:

  • draw rein    tirare le redini
  • give free rein to    dar mano libera a
  • keep a tight rein on    controllare da vicino
  • rein back    trattenere
  • rein in    controllare
  • the reins of power    le redini del potere

Português (Portuguese)
n. - rédea (f), controles (m pl)
v. - deter, guiar com rédeas

idioms:

  • draw rein    puxar pelas rédeas
  • give free rein to    dar rédeas à imaginação
  • keep a tight rein on    agir com rigor
  • rein back    tomar as rédeas
  • rein in    controlar
  • the reins of power    donos do poder

Русский (Russian)
уздечка, узда

idioms:

  • draw rein    остановить
  • give free rein to    предоставить полную свободу действий
  • keep a tight rein on    строго контролировать
  • rein back    остановить, пресечь
  • rein in    сдержать, удержать
  • the reins of power    бразды правления

Español (Spanish)
n. - rienda
v. tr. - guiar, gobernar con las riendas, refrenar, contener, llevar las riendas de
v. intr. - obedecer a las riendas, detener o moderar la marcha del caballo

idioms:

  • draw rein    tirar de las riendas, tener las riendas
  • give free rein to    dar rienda suelta a
  • keep a tight rein on    atar corto a uno
  • rein back    frenar
  • rein in    refrenar, parar, contener, detenerse
  • the reins of power    las riendas del poder

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - tygel
v. - tygla, lägga band på

中文(简体)(Chinese (Simplified))
缰绳, 支配, 统治, 勒住, 控制, 驾驭, 勒马, 勒住牲口

idioms:

  • draw rein    勒马, 停止, 放弃努力, 节省开支
  • give free rein to    使...充分发挥
  • keep a tight rein on    对...严加约束
  • rein back    勒住牲口, 勒马
  • rein in    放慢, 止住, 控制
  • the reins of power    权力统治

中文(繁體)(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 韁繩, 支配, 統治
v. tr. - 勒住, 控制, 統治, 駕馭
v. intr. - 勒馬, 勒住牲口

idioms:

  • draw rein    勒馬, 停止, 放棄努力, 節省開支
  • give free rein to    使...充分發揮
  • keep a tight rein on    對...嚴加約束
  • rein back    勒住牲口, 勒馬
  • rein in    放慢, 止住, 控制
  • the reins of power    權力統治

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 고삐, 유아 보호용 벨트, 통제 수단, 행동의 자유
v. tr. - 고삐를 매다, 제어하다
v. intr. - 말을 세우다, 말의 걸음을 늦추다, 고삐대로 움직이다

idioms:

  • draw rein    고삐를 잡아 당기다
  • give free rein to    ~에게 자유를 주다
  • keep a tight rein on    ~을 엄격히 제어하다, 꼭 누르고 있다
  • rein back    말 따위를 세우다
  • rein in    보조를 늦추게 하다
  • the reins of power    권력을 잡다

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 手綱, 制御, 支配
v. - 手綱で御する, 制御する, 抑制する

idioms:

  • rein back    止める
  • rein in    歩調をゆるめさせる, 抑制する

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) العنان, اللجام الذي تمسك به الدابه (فعل) يكبح, يوجه‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮רסן, מושכה‬
v. tr. - ‮ריסן‬
v. intr. - ‮ריסן את עצמו‬


 
 
Learn More
bearing rein
harness
Reining (family name)

Post a question - any question - to the WikiAnswers community:

 

Copyrights:

Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.  Read more
Thesaurus. Roget's II: The New Thesaurus, Third Edition by the Editors of the American Heritage® Dictionary Copyright © 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.  Read more
Answers Corporation Antonyms. © 1999-2009 by Answers Corporation. All rights reserved.  Read more
Veterinary Dictionary. Saunders Comprehensive Veterinary Dictionary 3rd Edition. Copyright © 2007 by D.C. Blood, V.P. Studdert and C.C. Gay, Elsevier. All rights reserved.  Read more
Word Tutor. Copyright © 2004-present by eSpindle Learning, a 501(c) nonprofit organization. All rights reserved.
eSpindle provides personalized spelling and vocabulary tutoring online; free trial Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Rein" Read more
Translations. Copyright © 2007, WizCom Technologies Ltd. All rights reserved.  Read more