37 uses
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Definition
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.)
- He mounted the chariot, gathered the reins in his hand, and Antenor took his seat beside him; they then drove through the Scaean gates on to the plain.Book 3 (57% in)
- He gathered the reins in his hand, and Antenor sat beside him; the two then went back to Ilius.Book 3 (68% in)
- Take hold, then, of the whip and reins while I stand upon the car to fight, or else do you wait this man's onset while I look after the horses."Book 5 (27% in)
- "Aeneas," replied the son of Lycaon, "take the reins and drive; if we have to fly before the son of Tydeus the horses will go better for their own driver.Book 5 (27% in)
- I say further, and lay my saying to your heart—if Minerva sees fit to vouchsafe me the glory of killing both, stay your horses here and make the reins fast to the rim of the chariot; then be sure you spring Aeneas' horses and drive them from the Trojan to the Achaean ranks.Book 5 (30% in)
- He made his own horses fast, away from the hurly-burly, by binding the reins to the rim of the chariot.Book 5 (37% in)
- He then remounted his own chariot, seized the reins, and drove with all speed in search of the son of Tydeus.Book 5 (37% in)
- She mounted the chariot sick and sorry at heart, while Iris sat beside her and took the reins in her hand.Book 5 (41% in)
- He hit him with a stone upon the elbow, and the reins, enriched with white ivory, fell from his hands into the dust.Book 5 (65% in)
- The oaken axle groaned aloud under the burden of the awful goddess and the hero; Pallas Minerva took the whip and reins, and drove straight at Mars.Book 5 (93% in)
- As soon as they were at close quarters he let fly with his bronze spear over the reins and yoke, thinking to take Diomed's life, but Minerva caught the spear in her hand and made it fly harmlessly over the chariot.Book 5 (94% in)
- Mars, insatiate of battle, killed his son Isander while he was fighting the Solymi; his daughter was killed by Diana of the golden reins, for she was angered with her; but Hippolochus was father to myself, and when he sent me to Troy he urged me again and again to fight ever among the foremost and outvie my peers, so as not to shame the blood of my fathers who were the noblest in Ephyra and in all Lycia.Book 6 (40% in)
- Nestor took the reins in his hands and lashed the horses on; they were soon close up with Hector, and the son of Tydeus aimed a spear at him as he was charging full speed towards them.Book 8 (22% in)
- He missed him, but struck his charioteer and squire Eniopeus son of noble Thebaeus in the breast by the nipple while the reins were in his hands, so that he died there and then, and the horses swerved as he fell headlong from the chariot.Book 8 (23% in)
- Hector was greatly grieved at the loss of his charioteer, but let him lie for all his sorrow, while he went in quest of another driver; nor did his steeds have to go long without one, for he presently found brave Archeptolemus the son of Iphitus, and made him get up behind the horses, giving the reins into his hand.Book 8 (24% in)
- The horses were frightened and tried to back beneath the car, while the reins dropped from Nestor's hands.Book 8 (26% in)
- Hector was greatly grieved at the loss of his charioteer, but for all his sorrow he let him lie where he fell, and bade his brother Cebriones, who was hard by, take the reins.Book 8 (58% in)
- It was Antimachus who had been foremost in preventing Helen's being restored to Menelaus, for he was largely bribed by Alexandrus; and now Agamemnon took his two sons, both in the same chariot, trying to bring their horses to a stand—for they had lost hold of the reins and the horses were mad with fear.Book 11 (16% in)
- Forthwith he showered his arrows on the Trojans, and hit Cleitus the son of Pisenor, comrade of Polydamas the noble son of Panthous, with the reins in his hands as he was attending to his horses; he was in the middle of the very thickest part of the fight, doing good service to Hector and the Trojans, but evil had now come upon him, and not one of those who were fain to do so could avert it, for the arrow struck him on the back of the neck.Book 15 (59% in)
- Next he sprang on Thestor son of Enops, who was sitting all huddled up in his chariot, for he had lost his head and the reins had been torn out of his hands.Book 16 (48% in)
- The other two horses began to plunge; the pole of the chariot cracked and they got entangled in the reins through the fall of the horse that was yoked along with them; but Automedon knew what to do; without the loss of a moment he drew the keen blade that hung by his sturdy thigh and cut the third horse adrift; whereon the other two righted themselves, and pulling hard at the reins again went together into battle.Book 16 (55% in)
- The other two horses began to plunge; the pole of the chariot cracked and they got entangled in the reins through the fall of the horse that was yoked along with them; but Automedon knew what to do; without the loss of a moment he drew the keen blade that hung by his sturdy thigh and cut the third horse adrift; whereon the other two righted themselves, and pulling hard at the reins again went together into battle.Book 16 (56% in)
- He stood still and threw it, nor did it go far without hitting some one; the cast was not in vain, for the stone struck Cebriones, Hector's charioteer, a bastard son of Priam, as he held the reins in his hands.Book 16 (85% in)
- Take then the whip and reins, while I go down from the car and fight.Book 17 (63% in)
- Alcimedon sprang on to the chariot, and caught up the whip and reins, while Automedon leaped from off the car.Book 17 (64% in)
- For Hector hit him on the jaw under the ear; the end of the spear drove out his teeth and cut his tongue in two pieces, so that he fell from his chariot and let the reins fall to the ground.Book 17 (82% in)
- Automedon and Alcimus busied themselves with the harnessing of his horses; they made the bands fast about them, and put the bit in their mouths, drawing the reins back towards the chariot.Book 19 (92% in)
- If a man go wide in rounding this way and that, whereas a man who knows what he is doing may have worse horses, but he will keep them well in hand when he sees the doubling-post; he knows the precise moment at which to pull the rein, and keeps his eye well on the man in front of him.Book 23 (37% in)
- ...it has been fixed on by Achilles as the mark round which the chariots shall turn; hug it as close as you can, but as you stand in your chariot lean over a little to the left; urge on your right-hand horse with voice and lash, and give him a loose rein, but let the left-hand horse keep so close in, that the nave of your wheel shall almost graze the post; but mind the stone, or you will wound your horses and break your chariot in pieces, which would be sport for others but confusion for...Book 23 (39% in)
- At the same instant they all of them lashed their horses, struck them with the reins, and shouted at them with all their might.Book 23 (41% in)
- The son of Atreus was afraid and shouted out, "Antilochus, you are driving recklessly; rein in your horses; the road is too narrow here, it will be wider soon, and you can pass me then; if you foul my chariot you may bring both of us to a mischief."Book 23 (48% in)
- Perhaps the reins fell from the driver's hand so that he lost command of his horses at the doubling-post, and could not turn it.Book 23 (52% in)
- Eumelus's horses are in front now, as they always have been, and he is on the chariot holding the reins."Book 23 (54% in)
- They were twins, and the one kept on holding the reins, and holding the reins, while the other plied the whip.Book 23 (71% in)
- They were twins, and the one kept on holding the reins, and holding the reins, while the other plied the whip.Book 23 (71% in)
- They took the mule-yoke from the peg on which it hung, a yoke of boxwood with a knob on the top of it and rings for the reins to go through.Book 24 (34% in)
- The bringer of good luck then sprang on to the chariot, and seizing the whip and reins he breathed fresh spirit into the mules and horses.Book 24 (55% in)
There are no more uses of "rein" in The Iliad by Homer - (translated by: Butler).
Typical Usage
(best examples)