一日一成语【77】give (free) rein to

give (free) rein to

rein指的是套在马身上的缰绳，驾车的人拉着缰绳便控制着马的前进方向，因此，rein便含有control的意思，give (free) rein to somebody的意思是“把缰绳交给某人，让某人自由地去驾驭”，意即“把控制权交给某人，让某人按自己的意愿去自由地行动”，有时它甚至可以具有“放任、纵容”的意思：

Our principal is very liberal-minded. He gives free rein to the teachers in the way they teach and evaluate their students.
我们的校长十分开明，老师怎么教，怎么考，他都由他们自己去决定。

Do you think it advisable for parents to give free rein to their teenage children so as to develop their individuality?
你觉得家长对十来岁的孩子条取放任态度，以让他们发展个性这种做法可取吗？

When left alone in her room in the evening, she stared out of the window at the starry night sky and gave rein to her imagination.
当夜晚来临，她独自一人留在房中时，她仰望窗外繁星密布的夜空，听任她的思想自由地驰骋。