reign

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reign / rān/ • v. [intr.] hold royal office; rule as king or queen: Queen Elizabeth reigns over the UK| fig. the Nashville sound will reign supreme once again. ∎  [usu. as adj.] (reigning) (of an athlete or team) currently hold a particular title: the reigning world champion. ∎  (of a quality or condition) prevail; predominate: confusion reigned.• n. the period during which a sovereign rules: the original chapel was built in the reign of Charles I. ∎  the period of prevalence or domination of a specified thing: these historic seconds inaugurated the reign of negative political advertising. ∎  the period during which an athlete or team holds a specified title.