3  definitions  found 
 
  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  1.6  [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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