reign
reign — verb
1. to be the official king, queen, or other monarch of a country, holding the highe
to be the official king, queen, or other monarch of a country, holding the highest position of authority there.
Queen Elizabeth II reigned for more than seventy years as the head of the monarchy.
reign + for + duration
The young pharaoh reigned from age nine until his death at nineteen.
King Dewi reigned during a period of great cultural development in the region.
Many people wondered whether the new queen would reign as wisely as her grandmother had.
A constitutional monarch reigns but does not make laws or run the government.
- submit
to give in to someone else's authority rather than holding it
文法句型
reign + over + country/people
reign + for + duration
reign + as + title
用法筆記
Frequently followed by 'over' to name the country or people under the monarch's rule, or by 'for' to state the length of time.
常見錯誤
2. to be the most noticeable, widespread, or powerful feeling, quality, or conditio
to be the most noticeable, widespread, or powerful feeling, quality, or condition in a particular place or situation — for example, when chaos reigns after a disaster, or silence reigns in an empty hall.
When the exams ended, a relaxed atmosphere reigned in the dormitory for a week.
abstract subject + reigns — dominant mood or condition
Shirin said that confusion reigned in the office after the manager suddenly quit.
For three days, complete chaos reigned as the flood waters rose higher.
A deep silence reigned in the library after the librarian asked everyone to leave.
Some people believe that greed reigns in the world of high finance.
- subside
when a strong feeling or condition becomes less intense
文法句型
[abstract noun] + reigns + [prepositional phrase]
reign + prepositional phrase of place/time
用法筆記
Subject is always an abstract noun — feelings (fear, peace), conditions (chaos, silence), or qualities (greed, order). Never use a person as the subject in this sense.
常見錯誤
reign — noun
1. the length of time that a particular king, queen, emperor, or other monarch spen
the length of time that a particular king, queen, emperor, or other monarch spends officially governing a country as its head.
The reign of Queen Victoria saw huge changes in industry and daily life.
the reign of + [monarch] — period of rule
Historians divide ancient Egypt into the reigns of different pharaoh families.
During Feng's reign, the kingdom built its first public library and hospital.
Archaeologists found coins dating back to the reign of King Dewi the First.
The museum exhibition covers art created during the reign of the last emperor.
文法句型
the reign of + [monarch]
during + possessive + reign
under + possessive + reign
2. any time span in which a particular person, organization, trend, or feeling hold
any time span in which a particular person, organization, trend, or feeling holds the greatest importance, power, or influence over others.
The reign of the personal computer began in the 1980s and lasted for decades.
the reign of + [technology] — figurative use for dominance
During Eli's reign as coach, the team won three national championships.
The reign of terror ended when the citizens finally stood up against the dictator.
Megan's reign as editor-in-chief was marked by a focus on investigative reporting.
The empire's cultural reign extended far beyond its political borders.
- era
broader — any distinct period, not necessarily defined by dominance
- domination
emphasises control and power rather than time span
- heyday
informal, suggests a peak period of success or popularity
文法句型
the reign of + [person/trend/quality]
during + possessive + reign as + [role]
[possessive] reign as + [role]
用法筆記
Distinguish from noun sense 1 (PERIOD OF MONARCHY): this sense applies to any person, organization, or trend that dominates, not just a monarch's time on the throne.
常見錯誤
3. the supreme power or authority that a king, queen, or other monarch has to rule
the supreme power or authority that a king, queen, or other monarch has to rule over a country and make binding decisions for it.
The new law limited the monarch's reign by transferring tax decisions to parliament.
reign = abstract authority, not a time period
Nala argued that a monarch's reign should never extend beyond what the constitution allows.
The prince hoped to inherit both the crown and the full reign over the kingdom.
Under the old system, the king's reign covered matters of justice and military command.
The council voted to reduce the queen's reign in areas of trade and foreign policy.
- sovereignty
more formal and technical, used in political theory
- dominion
literary or legal, emphasises the territory or scope of authority
- subjection
the state of being under someone else's authority
文法句型
possessive + reign
reign + over + country
limit/extend + possessive + reign
用法筆記
Formal and less common than the other noun senses. Refers to the abstract scope of a monarch's power rather than the time span of their rule. Frequently collocates with verbs like 'limit', 'extend', 'challenge', or 'inherit'.