rein up
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Sense 1
Meaning · English
To bring a ridden animal to a halt by pulling on the reins.
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
1856: Gustave Flaubert, Madame Bovary, Part III Chapter X, translated by Eleanor Marx-Aveling
He said to himself that no doubt they would save her; the doctors would discover some remedy surely. He remembered all the miraculous cures he had been told about. Then she appeared to him dead. She was the
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Sense 2
Meaning · English
To fit reins on (a horse).
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Sense 3
Meaning · English
To stop, to cause to come to a halt.
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “rein up” mean?
To bring a ridden animal to a halt by pulling on the reins.
Is “rein up” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.