All 50 Uses of

rein
in
Gone with the Wind

The horses, feeling slack reins, stretched down their necks to crop the tender spring grass, and the patient hounds lay down again in the soft red dust and looked up longingly at the chimney swallows circling in the gathering dusk.†
Chpt 1.1

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

He had alighted and tossed his bridle reins to a pickaninny and stood looking up at her, his drowsy gray eyes wide with a smile and the sun so bright on his blond hair that it seemed like a cap of shining silver.†
Chpt 1.2

Gerald did not see his daughter in the shadow of the trees, and he drew rein in the road, patting his horse's neck with approbation.†
Chpt 1.2

rein in = restrain

He dismounted with difficulty, because his knee was stiff, and, slipping the reins over his arm, stumped toward her.†
Chpt 1.2

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

He tossed the reins of his horse to a small pickaninny standing near and started up the steps.†
Chpt 1.2

And 'tis herself at the reins.†
Chpt 1.5

With Carreen afraid of the poor beasts and Sue with hands like sadirons when it comes to reins and you, Puss—†
Chpt 1.5

And, besides, Beatrice Tarleton never willingly permitted anyone, black or white, to hold reins when her arms were out of slings.†
Chpt 1.5

"That's a fine bevy, Ma'm," said Gerald gallantly, reining his horse alongside the carriage.†
Chpt 1.5 *

reining = restraining or controlling

"Hold the reins," said Rhett shortly, swinging to the ground and tossing the bridle to Uncle Peter.†
Chpt 2.14

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

She turned to Scarlett as Phil picked up the reins.†
Chpt 2.14

He reined in so suddenly the horse went back on its haunches, pawing the air.†
Chpt 3.21

reined in = restrained

He gathered the reins again and put on his hat.†
Chpt 3.21

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

The crowd suddenly gave a lane for a careening carriage and through the lane came the frail and elegant Mrs. Elsing, standing up in the front of her victoria, reins in one hand, whip in the other.†
Chpt 3.21

He climbed onto the seat beside her and picked up the reins.†
Chpt 3.23

He burst into a roar of laughter and slapped the reins upon the horse's back.†
Chpt 3.23

Rhett sat still, the reins lax in his hands, looking after them, a curious moody look on his swarthy face.†
Chpt 3.23

She had never in her life been out in the sunshine without a hat or veils, never handled reins without gloves to protect the white skin of her dimpled hands.†
Chpt 3.24

She gripped the reins tighter with hands that were blistered and slapped them fiercely on the horse's back, her aching arms burning at the movement.†
Chpt 3.24

The exhausted horse did not respond to the whip or reins but shambled on, dragging his feet, stumbling on small rocks and swaying as if ready to fall to his knees.†
Chpt 3.24

A little farther on, Scarlett drew rein in front of the avenue of oaks that led from the road to old Angus MacIntosh's house.†
Chpt 3.24

rein in = restrain

She flapped the reins and urged the horse forward.†
Chpt 3.24

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

Scarlett laid down the reins and pulled up her skirt.†
Chpt 3.24

As he slowly dismounted and tossed the bridle reins over the hitching post, Scarlett's breath came back to her as suddenly and painfully as after a blow in the stomach.†
Chpt 3.26

She gathered up the reins and clapped her heels against the animal's sides and then abruptly pulled him in, her face twisting with horror.†
Chpt 3.27

The white brittle mask was back again and she picked up the reins.†
Chpt 3.29

Then Cathleen flapped the bridle reins sharply and the old mule moved off.†
Chpt 3.29

There were a few wagons loading at the freight cars and several mud-splashed buggies with rough-looking strangers at the reins but only two carriages.†
Chpt 4.33

Overgrown paths led to what had been houses—old lawns thick with dead weeds, carriage blocks bearing names she knew so well, hitching posts which would never again know the knot of reins.†
Chpt 4.35

He laughed and slapped the reins against the horse's back.†
Chpt 4.35

He sat staring at her, gray faced, the reins slack in his hands.†
Chpt 4.35

She tired more easily these days than she liked to admit and she was always silently grateful when he took the reins.†
Chpt 4.38

When he climbed into the buggy and took the reins from her and threw her some impertinent remark, she felt young and gay and attractive again, for all her worries and her increasing bulk.†
Chpt 4.38

"Get out!" she cried, tugging at the reins and suddenly nausea overwhelmed her.†
Chpt 4.38

He picked up the reins and clucked to the horse.†
Chpt 4.38

Will kept his eyes on the horse and flapped the reins.†
Chpt 4.39

Will waited a minute for her to speak and when she did not he picked up the reins.†
Chpt 4.39

"Yes," answered Archie briefly, as he flapped the reins.†
Chpt 4.42

Not all Melanie's pleading or Frank's promises of higher pay would induce him to take up the reins again.†
Chpt 4.42

Averting her nose, she flapped the reins smartly across the horse's back and hurried him past and around the bend of the road.†
Chpt 4.44

She picked up the reins.†
Chpt 4.44

Swiftly she flapped the reins on the horse's back and clutched the pistol.†
Chpt 4.44

"Run, Miss Scarlett!" yelled Sam, grappling with the negro; and Scarlett, shaking and screaming, clutched up the reins and whip and laid them both over the horse.†
Chpt 4.44

"Gimme dem lines," said Sam, snatching the reins from her.†
Chpt 4.44

Confusion and dismay filled her when she saw Rhett alight from his horse and toss the reins over the arm of the cast-iron negro boy who stood at the sidewalk.†
Chpt 5.57

On days that were bright and clear the two could be seen riding down Peachtree Street, Rhett reining in his big black horse to keep pace with the fat pony's gait.†
Chpt 5.59

reining in = restraining

Scarlett, who had hoped for a freer rein when she escaped Mammy's supervision, discovered to her sorrow that Uncle Peter's standards of ladylike conduct, especially for Mist' Charles' widow, were even stricter than Mammy's.†
Chpt 2.8

The boy seeing her, drew rein, smiled delightedly and started to dismount.†
Chpt 3.18

When he saw her standing in the mud, Mr. Wilkes drew rein with a smile of pleasure and, dismounting, came toward her.†
Chpt 3.18

But he drew rein abruptly, almost at Marietta Street, in the shadow of a warehouse not yet touched by the flames.†
Chpt 3.23

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Best Example Sentences
From Other Sources
Highlighting 4 Senses of the Word

Definitions:

(1) (rein as in: to rein in their activities)
to restrain or control; or a means of control
The 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)

Page Numbers by Book Edition

rein in Gone with the Wind

rein
in
Gone with the Wind