English Dictionary
Definition of “reign”
reign (reɪn
)
Definitions
noun
- the period during which a monarch is the official ruler of a country
- a period during which a person or thing is dominant, influential, or powerful ⇒
the reign of violence is over
verb (intr)
- to exercise the power and authority of a sovereign
- to be accorded the rank and title of a sovereign without having ruling authority, as in a constitutional monarchy
- to predominate; prevail ⇒
a land where darkness reigns
- (usually present participle) to be the most recent winner of a competition, contest, etc ⇒
the reigning heavyweight champion
Word Origin
C13: from Old French reigne , from Latin rēgnum kingdom, from rēx king
Synonyms
View thesaurus entry
=
rule,
sovereignty,
supremacy,
power,
control,
influence,
command,
empire,
monarchy,
sway,
dominion,
hegemony,
ascendancy,
Quotations
"Here we may reign secure, and in my choiceTo reign is worth ambition though in hell;Better to reign in hell, than serve in heav'n"
John Milton
Usage examples
Most were kind to her, sometimes cloyingly so; Adele alone had not been friendly, and Adele's reign had been brief.
Penman, Sharon, Here Be Dragons (1986)By the time of the Second World War, this reign of terror has subdued all possible opposition to him.
Country Life (2004)Here's how one U. S. defence analyst described life at Boeing in a damning BusinessWeek profile of Mr. Condit's reign of error.
Globe and Mail (2003)Scotland's nine-month reign at the top of their World Cup qualifying group is in danger of ending today.
Glasgow Herald (2001)But as Thatcher's long reign grew more fretful, the Brussels story was moving ever higher up the agenda.
Boris Johnson, LEND ME YOUR EARS (2003)
