to give one his head
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
To allow him complete freedom, let him go just as he pleases. Another "horsey" phrase.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “to give one his head” mean?
To allow him complete freedom, let him go just as he pleases. Another "horsey" phrase.
Is “to give one his head” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.