noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
Received-Pronunciation:/ˌfɹiː ˈɹeɪn/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
General-American:/ˌfɹi ˈɹeɪn/
rhymes with -eɪn
1
noun
Meaning 1
A rein of a horse held loosely so that the animal can move more freely; also, the free condition that this gives to a horse.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
The absence of constraints; freedom to act, decide, or speak.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively
Examples
to give [a] free rein to
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: blank check, blank cheque, carte blanche, free hand, proxy in blank
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
the removal of constraints
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
he gave free rein to his impulses
they gave full play to the artist's talent
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: play
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: freedom
History
Etymology
From free (adjective) + rein.
Across languages
Translations
33 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Chinese Mandarin:
放鬆韁繩 /放松缰绳
— rein of a horse held loosely so that the animal can move more freely; free condition that this gives to a horse
Chinese Mandarin:
鬆韁 /松缰
— rein of a horse held loosely so that the animal can move more freely; free condition that this gives to a horse
Finnish:
löysät ohjakset
— rein of a horse held loosely so that the animal can move more freely; free condition that this gives to a horse
Finnish:
vapaat ohjakset
— rein of a horse held loosely so that the animal can move more freely; free condition that this gives to a horse
German:
freier Lauf
— rein of a horse held loosely so that the animal can move more freely; free condition that this gives to a horse
Macedonian:
лабави узди
(labavi uzdi)
— rein of a horse held loosely so that the animal can move more freely; free condition that this gives to a horse
Arabic:
يد مطلقة
— absence of constraints
Chinese Mandarin:
自由發揮 /自由发挥
(zìyóu fāhuī)
— absence of constraints
Chinese Mandarin:
自由行動 /自由行动
(zìyóu xíngdòng)
— absence of constraints
Dutch:
vrijbrief
— absence of constraints
Finnish:
vapaat kädet
— absence of constraints
French:
carte blanche
— absence of constraints
French:
champ libre
— absence of constraints
German:
freier Lauf
— absence of constraints
German:
Freibrief
— absence of constraints
German:
freie Hand
— absence of constraints
Italian:
a briglia sciolta
— absence of constraints
Italian:
carta bianca
— absence of constraints
Italian:
campo libero
— absence of constraints
Italian:
mano libera
— absence of constraints
Macedonian:
необузданост
(neobuzdanost)
— absence of constraints
Polish:
wolna ręka
— absence of constraints
Portuguese:
rédea solta
— absence of constraints
Portuguese:
carta branca
— absence of constraints
Russian:
свобода действий
(svoboda dejstvij)
— absence of constraints
Serbo-Croatian:
разу̀ла̄рено̄ст
— absence of constraints
Serbo-Croatian:
razùlārenōst
— absence of constraints
Sicilian:
a rètini scioti
— absence of constraints
Sicilian:
a minchia china
— absence of constraints