All 8 Uses of
rein
in
Far from the Madding Crowd
- On nearing the cattle-shed she was met by a boy bringing a milking-pail, who held the reins of the pony whilst she slid off.†
Chpt 1-3 *reins = a means of control -- most commonly the straps attached to a bit in a horse's mouth that are used to control it OR restrains or controls
- It came from the man who held the reins.†
Chpt 4-6
- Shepherd Oak, Jan Coggan, Moon, Poorgrass, Cain Ball, and several others were assembled here, all dripping wet to the very roots of their hair, and Bathsheba was standing by in a new riding-habit—the most elegant she had ever worn—the reins of her horse being looped over her arm.†
Chpt 19-21
- Though on foot, he held the reins and whip, and occasionally aimed light cuts at the horse's ear with the end of the lash, as a recreation.†
Chpt 37-39
- "Stay where you are, and attend to the horse!" said Troy, peremptorily throwing her the reins and the whip.†
Chpt 37-39
- Troy then came on towards his wife, stepped into the gig, took the reins from her hand, and without making any observation whipped the horse into a trot.†
Chpt 37-39
- About half-an-hour later she invigorated herself by an effort, and took her seat and the reins as usual—in external appearance much as if nothing had happened.†
Chpt 46-48
- Tall scrambled off to the field, and in two minutes was on Poll, the bay, bare-backed, and with only a halter by way of rein.†
Chpt 19-21
Definitions:
-
(1)
(rein as in: to rein in their activities) to restrain or control; or a means of controlThe meaning of rein depends upon its context. For example:
- "keep a tight rein on the new employee," or "rein in a horse" -- to control or restrain
- "give the new employee free rein," or "give the horse full rein" -- do not restrain
- "the reins of government" -- means of control
- "the reins of the horse" -- leather straps used with a bit to control a horse (You might like to think of other senses of rein as being figurative derivations from this sense.)
-
(2)
(meaning too rare to warrant focus) meaning too rare to warrant focus:
To "rein in" or to "keep a tight rein" is to restrain.
To "give free rein" is not to restrain (not to exercise control over)