All 12 Uses

rein
in
As I Lay Dying
(Auto-generated)

...holding the horse reined back.
Chpt 32 *

reined = restrained
Tull's wagon stands beside the spring, hitched to the rail, the reins wrapped about the seat stanchion.†
Chpt 1
They watch me as I run up, beginning to jerk back, their eyes rolling, snorting, jerking back on the hitch-rein.†
Chpt 13
I run this way and that as they rear and jerk at the hitch-rein, striking.†
Chpt 13
He comes down the path stiffly and looks at the broken hitch-rein and at the dust in the road and then up the road, where the dust is gone.†
Chpt 13
A mile further along he passes us, the horse, arch-necked, reined back to a swift singlefoot.†
Chpt 27
He lifts the reins.†
Chpt 34
Cash takes the reins and lowers the team carefully and skillfully into the stream.†
Chpt 34
It moves unbelievably fast; by that token Jewel realises at last that the rope is free, for I can see him sawing back on the reins, his head turned, as the log rears in a long sluggish lunge between us, bearing down upon the team.†
Chpt 34
Cash is half turned, the reins running taut from his hand and disappearing into the water, the other hand reached back upon Addie, holding her jammed over against the high side of the wagon.†
Chpt 34
He followed, leading the horse, and stood beside the wagon, the reins in his hand.†
Chpt 42
The wagon stands on the square, hitched, the mules motionless, the reins wrapped about the seat-spring, the back of the wagon toward the courthouse.†
Chpt 57

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)
to "give free rein" is not to restrain (not to exercise control over)