To tell you that it's "rein" not "reign".

[FlyingElbows]

Because it is and it's doing my tits in!!

Rein. Rein. Rein. Rein. Rein.

Free rein. It's an equestrian term meaning to give the horse freedom of movement.

It is NOT reign. That's what the Queen does.

It's right up there with "intensive purposes" and "doggy dog world"!!

I put the phone down, ten minutes later que mil banging on the door!
Yes, this one drives me mad too

I knew all the correct versions on this thread but for years I thought the expression "make ends meet" was "make hen's meat". Seemed to make perfect sense.

I'm fumming at this thread

Wait, what? It's not "free reign"? As in, I let him reign freely - like be in control of his own situation. Well, I've learned something today! I'm not sure it is ever something I have written down, so technically I've never got it wrong...

Don't usually get involved on these BUT

ANGLE , , for Angel ! That one really grates on me .
Usually , and worse, written for a deceased child . RIP little Angle . .Wtf

If we are going to be picky, what about 'here, here' rather than 'hear, hear'

I do not mean to belittle anyone and I freely admit that this one does my tits right in mostly because I am a horse person. I completely accept that a huge number of people will have no idea about the concept of "free rein" and I am not being entirely reasonable. Bowl in a china shop is just wrong!

Wait, what? It's not "free reign"? As in, I let him reign freely - like be in control of his own situation.

'Fraid not - Free Rein - as in give a horse its head & let it gallop as fast as it likes

Bowl in a china shop

These threads are almost daily now

Look, if anyone gives a shit about spelling correctly they will. If they don't or can't they won't. These threads never actually educate anyone and instead make people look like pedantic twerps who think they're better than others.

On the other side you quite often see 'Lead reign pony for sale' or 'bridle with reigns' which gets right on my tits.

A few people have learnt already from this thread. I think occasional clarification threads are fine as long as they don't attack pacific posters.

pacific posters

Rachel

ANGLE , , for Angel ! That one really grates on me .

I know, how obtuse can you get?

I thought the expression "make ends meet" was "make hen's meat"

I thought the hymn words "pity my simplicity" was "pity mice and pity me". I spent a disproportionate amount of my early childhood wondering why Jesus was singling out mice for special treatment

I am with Queen. I don't use MN as an educational experience.

As long as I know what someone means I can't get all antsy about it.

It's not just about spelling or smuggery. Rein and reign are completely different words! Don't start me on Lead Reign ponies or mains instead of manes!!

Seems it's all v problematic in the equestrian world.

I agree it's not really a spelling error - it's a small gap in someone's general knowledge concerning the meaning of the phrase which can happen to anyone, no matter how literate they are.

It isn't always about picking on posters' spellings though.

Some of these are phrases which are being said incorrectly. The person has heard the phrase and not actually picked up the words e.g. Doggy Dog World was what they heard when it is a Dog Eat Dog World.

The same applies to rein - the original point of this thread. If someone knew what the meaning behind the phrase was - then it would be clearer.

Someone posted on FB that the fireworks were a 'damp squid'. That was quite funny. Of course all the comments were going on and on about how that's wrong though. V tedious.

ANGLE , , for Angel ! That one really grates on me .

I know, how obtuse can you get?

ahickie

ANGLE , , for Angel ! That one really grates on me .

I know, how obtuse can you get? hmm

It's an acute problem!

Thank you so much OP. This was driving mad last week. And I'm not a horse person or even particularly pedantic.

My sister told me she was going to buy a Bugaboo "Shameleon". Took me a while to realise she meant Chameleon.....