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.
雙語例句
1. The government would try to rein back inflation.
政府將努力控製通貨膨脹。
來自柯林斯例句
2. The horse answered to the slightest pull on the rein.
隻要韁繩輕輕一拉,馬就作出反應.
來自《簡明英漢詞典》
3. Her parents had kept her on a tight rein with their narrow and inflexible views.
她的父母觀念狹隘而僵化，對她管束很嚴。
來自柯林斯例句
4. The government continued to believe it should give free rein to the private sector in transport.
政府仍然認為應該給予交通領域的私營企業以經營自由。
來自柯林斯例句
5. Mary spoiled both her children, then tried too late to rein them in.