Meaning & use
bridle
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Meanings
nouncountable
The straps and metal parts that fit over a horse's head so that a rider can guide and control it.
Grammar: Countable: a leather bridle. Goes with put on, slip on or take off.
Patterns
- put a bridle on something
- a bridle for a horse
She slipped the bridle over the horse's ears.
The leather bridle had worn thin and needed replacing.
The stable hand hung the bridle on a hook by the saddle.
verbtransitive
To put a bridle on a horse.
Grammar: Takes the horse as the object: bridle the pony.
Patterns
- bridle a horse
He bridled the mare and led her into the yard.
It took the girl a few minutes to bridle her pony.
They bridled the horses before dawn.
verbintransitiveformal
To show anger or offense by lifting your head, stiffening or answering sharply.
Grammar: Usually followed by at or with: she bridled at the remark.
Patterns
- bridle at something
- bridle with something
She bridled at the suggestion that she had been careless.
He bridled at the unfair criticism but said nothing.
The old general bridled with indignation when interrupted.
Word forms
| plural | bridles |
|---|---|
| third person | bridles |
| past | bridled |
| past participle | bridled |
| -ing form | bridling |
Common combinations
- bridle and saddle
- The horse stood ready with its bridle and saddle.
- bridle path
- A narrow bridle path runs along the edge of the wood.
- bridle at criticism
- Many managers bridle at criticism from junior staff.
- bridle with indignation
- She bridled with indignation at the insult.
- slip on the bridle
- The rider slipped on the bridle and tightened the straps.
Synonyms and how they differ
- bristle
- Bristle also means to react with anger, but it stresses visible irritation and may be silent, whereas bridle suggests lifting the head in offended pride.
- take offense
- Take offense is the plain everyday phrase and does not carry bridle's image of a stiff, proud reaction.
- harness
- Harness is the whole set of straps for a horse that pulls a cart, while a bridle only fits the head.
- rein
- A rein is only the strap the rider holds, and the bridle is the full headgear that the reins attach to.
Word family
Commonly confused: bridle or bridal?
bridle vs bridal
Bridal relates to a bride or wedding and is pronounced the same, but it has nothing to do with horses or anger.
Practice
She ___ at the suggestion that she had been careless, and answered sharply.
Choose one answer.
To bridle at something means to react with offense or anger. Bridged and braided are real words but do not fit, and bridal is an adjective for weddings.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “bridle”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.