Dictionary

free rein en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˌfɹiː ˈɹeɪn/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /ˌfɹi ˈɹeɪn/ (General-American)
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

From free (adjective) + rein.

Meanings

1. A rein of a horse held loosely so that the animal can move more freely; also, the free condition that this gives to a horse.
   • [I]n the rise during the leap, just previous to the spring, no efforts whatever must be made by the rider to support the horse, or to lift him, but instead, she should simply hold the reins so lightly that his mouth can just be felt, which is called "giving a free rein." 1884, Elizabeth [Platt] Karr, “The Leap—the Standing Leap—the Flying Leap”, in The American Horsewoman, Boston, Mass.; New York, N.Y.: Houghton, Mifflin and Company […], →OCLC, page 256:
   • I needed no whip, or spur, for I was as eager as my rider: he saw it, and giving me a free rein, and leaning a little forward, we dashed after them. [1877], Anna Sewell, “The Lady Anne, or a Runaway Horse”, in Black Beauty: […], London: Jarrold and Sons, […], →OCLC, part II, page 113:
   • So ceased the sea's uproar, when its grave Sire / Looked o'er th' expanse, and, riding on in light, / Flung free rein to his winged obedient car. 1908, Virgil, “Book I”, in Theodore C[hickering] Williams, transl., The Æneid of Virgil Translated into English Verse, Boston, Mass.; New York, N.Y.: Houghton Mifflin Company […], published [1910], →OCLC, page 8:
2. (figuratively) The absence of constraints; freedom to act, decide, or speak.
   • to give [a] free rein to
   • Free City is, by design, a generic multiplayer sandbox—it's supposed to look like any and every free-rein video game metropolis. 2021 August 6, A. A. Dowd, “The Ryan Reynolds action-comedy Free Guy is a Truman Show for the Fortnite age”, in The A.V. Club, archived from the original on 19 Apr 2023:
   • Such hedging is necessitated by the lack of in-depth knowledge of the contents, which also gives free rein to the scripting of unsubstantiated factoids concerning the book. 2018 December, James Lambert, “Setting the Record Straight: An In-depth Examination of Hobson-Jobson”, in Robert Lew, editor, International Journal of Lexicography, volume 31, number 4, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Oxford University Press, →DOI, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 487:
   • If you have any influence, therefore, on members of Congress, on editors, on the creators of public opinion, on your neighbors, on the rank and file of your army, teach them that with Massachusetts bayonets, it is better to be insubordinate, and shoot a Colonel, than it is, unasked, unauthorized, and Heaven-damned, to turn themselves into hunters of slaves. (Loud and prolonged cheers.) Help the Government to dare to give free rein to the ardor of the people. 1861 August 9, Wendell Phillips, “Speech of Wendell Phillips, Esq. at the celebration of W. I. emancipation”, in W[illia]m Lloyd Garrison, editor, The Liberator, volume XXXI, number 32 (number 1598 overall), Boston, Mass.: J[ames] B[rown] Yerrinton & Son, […], →ISSN, →OCLC, page 1, column 6:
   • [Geoffrey] Chaucer gave a free rein to his poetical mirth. 1790, Thomas Pennant, “[Chaucer]”, in Of London, London: […] Rob[er]t Faulder, […], →OCLC, page 47:
   • Trump suggested that he has given the tech billionaire free rein and appeared blase about the details. 2025 February 7, David Smith, “Trump hints Musk ‘Doge’ team has free rein with Pentagon next in line for cuts”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:
   • At the suggestion of the latter [Bardas], Michael [III] sought the assistance of Ignatius [of Constantinople] in an effort to force Theodora to enter a convent, in the hope of securing for himself an undivided authority and a free rein for his profligacy. The patriarch indignantly refused to be a party to such an outrage. Theodora, however, realizing the determination of her son to possess at any cost an undivided rule, voluntarily abdicated. 1913, John B. O’Connor, “Ignatius of Constantinople, Saint”, in Charles G[eorge] Herbermann, Edward A[loysius] Pace, Condé B[enoist] Pallen, Thomas J[oseph] Shahan, John J[oseph] Wynne, editors, The Catholic Encyclopedia: An International Work of Reference on the Constitution, Doctrine, Discipline, and History of the Catholic Church […], special edition, volume VII, New York, N.Y.: The Encyclopedia Press, →OCLC, page 647:
   • If I give my imagination free rein on this sultry afternoon, I could almost believe this shoulder-high grassland – a shimmering sea of false oat, cock’s-foot and meadow foxtail – is African savanna. 2021 July 21, Phil Gates, “Country diary: this forgotten grassland is a butterfly Serengeti”, in Katharine Viner, editor, The Guardian, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 19 Dec 2022:
   • [H]e vvas pleas'd to lend / Free reines to mirth, and to ſuſpend thoſe cares / That claime ſuch intereſt in th' Imperiall brovv. a. 1645 (date written), Fra[ncis] Quarles, The Virgin Widow. A Comedie, London: […] R[ichard] Royston, […], published 1649, →OCLC, Act I, page 1:
   • There is, in fact, growing recognition in the Department that giving free rein to the open access operators will extract revenue from Great British Railways. 2025 March 5, Christian Wolmar, “GBR: just how clear are the government's objectives?”, in RAIL, number 1030, page 41:

Forms

Relateds

rein in · draw rein

Synonyms

proxy in blank · blank check, blank cheque · carte blanche · free hand

Translations (34)

de freier Lauf (rein of a horse held loosely so that the animal can move more freely; free condition that this gives to a horse) · it a briglia sciolta (absence of constraints) · it carta bianca (absence of constraints) · es carta blanca (absence of constraints) · pl wolna ręka (rein of a horse held loosely so that the animal can move more freely; free condition that this gives to a horse) · fi vapaat kädet (absence of constraints) · it mano libera (absence of constraints) · sh разу̀ла̄рено̄ст (absence of constraints) · cmn 自由發揮 /自由发挥 (absence of constraints) · sv fria tyglar (absence of constraints) · es barra libre (absence of constraints) · fi löysät ohjakset (rein of a horse held loosely so that the animal can move more freely; free condition that this gives to a horse) · fi vapaat ohjakset (rein of a horse held loosely so that the animal can move more freely; free condition that this gives to a horse) · cmn 鬆韁 /松缰 (rein of a horse held loosely so that the animal can move more freely; free condition that this gives to a horse) · mk необузданост (absence of constraints) · ru свобода действий (absence of constraints) · ar يد مطلقة (absence of constraints) · de Freibrief (absence of constraints) · it campo libero (absence of constraints) · scn a minchia china (absence of constraints) · cmn 自由行動 /自由行动 (absence of constraints) · nl vrijbrief (absence of constraints) · pt rédea solta (absence of constraints) · es rienda suelta (absence of constraints) · fr champ libre (absence of constraints) · pt carta branca (absence of constraints) · mk лабави узди (rein of a horse held loosely so that the animal can move more freely; free condition that this gives to a horse) · de freier Lauf (absence of constraints) · sh razùlārenōst (absence of constraints) · fr carte blanche (absence of constraints) · pl wolna ręka (absence of constraints) · de freie Hand (absence of constraints) · scn a rètini scioti (absence of constraints) · cmn 放鬆韁繩 /放松缰绳 (rein of a horse held loosely so that the animal can move more freely; free condition that this gives to a horse)