Answer: Reign and Rein

[verilyverity]

Anonymous asks: What are the appropriate uses for the words "reign" and "rein"?

With examples from Harry Potter and Dr. Horrible's Sing-along Blog.

Comments

[sidlj]

Just had to say, in regards to your lj-cut text, that this recently appeared on my Mensa Puzzle Page-A-Day calendar:

We've removed all the vowels (including 'y') from a well-known quotation. Can you put them back where they belong?

H R S H R S M K N G D M F R H R S

:-)

[ext_1407120]

a o e a o e y i o o a o e

[sidlj]

see icon :-)

[sexyfemalealien]

Actually, "free rein" would be giving the horse his head, not the coachman.

[verilyverity]

Damn. I could have sworn I had a source for my explanation but now I can't find it. *goes to change*

[sexyfemalealien]

That's okay, it doesn't change the usage. And thanks for doing this topic, by the way. It's a huge pet peeve of mine, so I hope everyone on the entire Internet sees this!

[verilyverity]

:D

[lmichelle599]

Thanks. I really don't use those words too much in my writing, but it never hurts to review. :)

[starwatcher307]

.
I've always compared 'rein' and 'reign' to horse-usage, since I've loved/read about horses from childhood. But many people aren't horse-knowledgeable nowadays, so I offer this further mnemonic --

'reign' comes from the same root as 'regina' (queen). So if the word has anything to do with ruling (as queens do), it has to have that all-important 'g'.
.

[zebra363]

Glad to see this topic, since "free reign" seems to be getting more and more common.

a "free rein" was held just tightly enough to keep the bit in the horse's mouth.

The reins don't actually hold the bit in the mouth. The bridle does that, with the straps that run over and around the head. A free rein just means reins held loosely enough that they have no effect on controlling the horse.

[verilyverity]

*sigh* That should be feel. *goes to change. Again*

*gets coffee first*

[lady_ganesh]

Horses are hard work. I love your examples, though!

[verilyverity]

:)