free rein
15
4.1
- noun
- /friː reɪn/
:
libertad de acción
- As a writer, she enjoyed free rein in choosing her topics and style.
- give free rein
- allow free rein
Obviously, he's giving it, giving it some free rein, but I think I admire that about him.
- Obviously, he's giving it, giving it some free rein, but I think I admire that about him.
- Because given a free rein, they will undoubtedly keep going as far as they can.
- It's it's wide open free rein for a generative AI bot or tool to go out, access it and train itself on it on that.
- And so the psychopathic manipulators, they have free rein.
Examples
-
Because given a free rein, they will undoubtedly keep going as far as they can.
-
I have taught her how to use my turntable and given her free rein over my record collection.
Academic text (2005) -
Why would anyone give you free rein in such a situation?
-
The freedom part has to do with giving myself free rein, even as I stick to my strict schedule.
Academic text (2009) -
I have been given free rein to hire whomever I want at whatever salary I desire.
Fiction book (1999) -
As long as their children showed no signs of being disturbed, why not give free rein to their imaginations?
Fiction book (1993) -
At our school, the librarian has free rein over how these monies are spent.
Academic text (2013) -
Children's imaginations were given free rein, not only within the visual arts, but also in movement and music.
Academic text (1993) -
The fervor of nationalism and the lack of democratic traditions gave him free rein.
Academic text (1997) -
The director gave the team free rein to create a new marketing strategy.
Synonyms
∞
1.0
The right to act, speak, or think as you want without being stopped
96
5.1
Freedom to decide what to do in a situation
83
7.2
Freedom to act without following normal rules, often in behavior or art
53
6.7
The right of a region or group to run its own government
37
4.3
Extra room to act and allow small mistakes
11
8.1
Freedom to act without asking permission
10
3.5
The right to choose what to think and do without unfair control by others
9
4.6
Freedom to act or spend money without limits
9
3.2
The freedom to act, speak, or think without unnecessary restriction
5
4.1
The freedom to act or decide without being told what to do
1
6.9
Can act without supervision and decide what to do
1
3.6
Freedom to make decisions and act without strict limits
Allow someone to act freely and make their own choices
Antonyms
How Free
Surface Forms
Morphology
The sense 'freedom to act' is directly derivable from combining 'free' (without constraints) with 'rein' (control or guidance): giving someone 'free rein' means removing restraint on the reins. This horse-control metaphor is transparent and follows a straightforward compositional logic, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents can readily infer the meaning.
Etymology
The phrase free rein comes from horse riding: a rider uses a rein to guide a horse, so giving the horse a free rein means not holding it tight and letting it go its own way. That's why today it means 'freedom to act' or to make choices without being stopped.