Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary · 1913

Reign

Reign (rān) , noun

[Old English regne, Old French reigne, regne, French règne, from Latin regnum, from rex, regis, a king, from 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. [Obsolete] — 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.

Reign (r?n) , intransitive verb

[Old English regnen, reinen, Old French regner, French régner, from Latin regnare, from 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? — Shakespeare
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