Hypertext Webster Gateway: "Reign"

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)

Reign \Reign\ (r[=a]n), n. [OE. regne, OF. reigne, regne, F.
r[`e]gne, fr. L. regnum, fr. rex, regis, a king, fr. regere
to guide, rule. See {Regal}, {Regimen}.]
1. Royal authority; supreme power; sovereignty; rule;
dominion.

He who like a father held his reign. --Pope.

Saturn's sons received the threefold reign Of
heaven, of ocean, and deep hell beneath. --Prior.

2. The territory or sphere which is reigned over; kingdom;
empire; realm; dominion. [Obs.] --Spenser.

[God] him bereft the regne that he had. --Chaucer.

3. The time during which a king, queen, or emperor possesses
the supreme authority; as, it happened in the reign of
Elizabeth.

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)

Reign \Reign\ (r?n), v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Reigned} (r?nd); p.
pr. & vb. n. {Reigning}.] [OE. regnen, reinen, OF. regner, F.
r['e]gner, fr. L. regnare, fr. regnum. See {Reign}, n.]
1. To possess or exercise sovereign power or authority; to
exercise government, as a king or emperor;; to hold
supreme power; to rule. --Chaucer.

We will not have this man to reign over us. --Luke
xix. 14.

Shall Banquo's issue ever Reign in this kingdom?
--Shak.

2. Hence, to be predominant; to prevail. ``Pestilent diseases
which commonly reign in summer.'' --Bacon.

3. To have superior or uncontrolled dominion; to rule.

Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body.
--Rom. vi. 12.

Syn: To rule; govern; direct; control; prevail.

From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)

reign
n 1: a period during which something or somebody is dominant or
powerful; "he was helpless under the reign of his
egotism"
2: the period during which a monarch is sovereign; "during the
reign of Henry VIII"
3: royal authority; the dominion of a monarch [syn: {sovereignty}]
v 1: have sovereign power; "Henry VIII reigned for a long time"
2: be larger in number, quantity, or importance; "Money reigns
supreme here"; "Hispanics predominate in this
neighborhood" [syn: {predominate}, {dominate}, {rule}, {prevail}]

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