free rein
Noun
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Noun
free rein (uncountable)
- Loose rein(s), as of a horse.
- 1884, Elizabeth Platt Karr, "The American Horsewoman", page 256,
- she should simply hold the reins so lightly that his mouth can just be felt, which is called "giving a free rein."
- 1910, Virgil (translated into English by Theodore C. Williams), page 8,
- 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.
- So ceased the sea's uproar, when its grave Sire
- 1884, Elizabeth Platt Karr, "The American Horsewoman", page 256,
- (figurative) The absence of constraints; freedom to make decisions.
- 1913, Charles George Herbermann, Edward Aloysius Pace, Condé Bénoist Pallen, Thomas Joseph Shahan, John Joseph Wynne, "The Catholic Encyclopedia: An International Work of Reference on the Constitution, Doctrine, Discipline, and History of the Catholic Church", page 647,
- securing for himself an undivided authority and a free rein for his profligacy.
- 1861 New York Times, Aug 6, SLAVERY AND THE WAR.,SPEECH OF WENDELL PHILLIPS, ESQ., AT THE CELEBRATION OF WEST INDIES EMANCIPATION
- Help the Government to dare to give free rein to the ardor of the people.
- 1790 Thomas Pennant in Of London page 47
- Chaucer gave a free rein to his poetical mirth
- 1913, Charles George Herbermann, Edward Aloysius Pace, Condé Bénoist Pallen, Thomas Joseph Shahan, John Joseph Wynne, "The Catholic Encyclopedia: An International Work of Reference on the Constitution, Doctrine, Discipline, and History of the Catholic Church", page 647,
- French: champ libre, carte blanche
- Italian: a briglia sciolta
- Portuguese: carta branca
- Spanish: carta blanca, rienda suelta, barra libre
This text is extracted from the Wiktionary and it is available under the CC BY-SA 3.0 license | Terms and conditions | Privacy policy 0.002