rein

allow/give someone (a) free rein

to allow someone to do what they want or go where they want to. The older kids were given free rein to do whatever they wanted. (often + to do something) We shut the kitten out of the bedroom but allowed her free rein in the rest of the apartment.

See also: allow, free, give

allow/give something (a) free rein

if you give ideas or emotions free rein, you allow them to develop and do not try to control them. With all these materials available, we can give our creativity free rein.

See also: allow, free, give

keep a tight rein on someone/something

to have a lot of control over someone or something. He made ends meet by keeping a tight rein on his budget. Our parents always kept us on a pretty tight rein.

See also: keep, tight

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give someone/something (a) free rein

to allow someone or something complete freedom. The owners gave the chef free reign to create a new menu. She was afraid to give free rein to her feelings.

See also: free, give

keep a tight rein on someone/something

to control someone or something carefully. Clarke has consistently pointed to the need to keep a tight rein on government finances. He kept a tight rein on his daughter.

See also: keep, tight

rein in someone/something

to control someone or something. We should rein in our spending, balance our budget, and stop borrowing. Critics say they have run the company as a personal kingdom, pocketing the profits and ignoring anyone who tried to rein them in.