reins
- 1Plural of rein. Use it for the pair of straps a rider holds, or for control over something.
She held the reins tight as the horse began to trot.
When the owner got sick, her son took over the reins of the shop.
Note
- 2Third-person singular present of rein. Use it after he, she, it, or one person's name.
Dad reins in his spending every January.
The rider reins her pony to a stop at the gate.
Note
- 3The loins, the part of the body near the hips.
- 4In an arched stone ceiling, the parts between the top and the sides it rests on, with the fill behind them.
The builders packed broken stone into the reins of the arched roof.
After the earthquake, cracks showed in the reins of the church ceiling.
Note
Less common meanings
- 5The lower part of the back.
After carrying the heavy sacks, the miller felt a sharp ache in his reins.
The cold wind made the pain in her reins worse.
- 6The kidneys, the two organs in your back that clean your blood.
The healer said the stones that hurt him were in his reins.
Her reins were weak, and her feet and hands began to swell.
Note
Showing meanings only.
reins is a form of rein
rein, noun: A strap used to guide and control a horse, another animal, or a small child. Full entry
- Forms
- reinreins plural
- Spelling
- rein → reins: add -s
- Sound
- The ending sounds like /z/.
Use it in a sentence
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Origin
From the Old French word reins.