saddle

¹sad·dle

noun, often attributive \ˈsa-d^əl\

Definition of SADDLE

1

a (1) : a girthed usually padded and leather-covered seat for the rider of an animal (as a horse) (2) : a part of a driving harness comparable to a saddle that is used to keep the breeching in place

b : a seat to be straddled by the rider of a vehicle (as a bicycle)

2

: a device mounted as a support and often shaped to fit the object held

3

a : a ridge connecting two higher elevations

b : a pass in a mountain range

4

a : both sides of the unsplit back of a carcass including both loins

b : a colored marking on the back of an animal

c : the rear part of a male fowl's back extending to the tail — see duck illustration

5

: the central part of the spine of the binding of a book

6

: a piece of leather across the instep of a shoe

— sad·dle·less \-d^əl-(l)əs\ adjective

— in the saddle

: in control

Examples of SADDLE

1. <the next day's hike was a stiff climb out of the saddle where they had camped for the night>

Illustration of SADDLE

Origin of SADDLE

Middle English sadel, from Old English sadol; akin to Old High German satul saddle

First Known Use: before 12th century

Related to SADDLE

Synonyms

col, couloir, defile, flume, gap, gill [British], gorge, gulch, gulf, kloof [South African], linn [chiefly Scottish], notch, pass, ravine, canyon

Related Words

abyss, chasm, cirque, cleft, crevasse, crevice, cwm [chiefly British], fissure; combe (also coombe or coomb) [British], dale, dell, glen, hollow, shut-in, vale, valley; basin, floodplain, kettle; arroyo, barranca (also barranco), coulee, draw, gully (also gulley), gutter, nullah, trench, trough, wadi, wash [West]

Other Equestrian Terms

canter, cantle, curry, farrier, hunter, paddock, router, skirt, tack

Rhymes with SADDLE

addle, paddle, raddle, spraddle, staddle, straddle

²saddle

verb

sad·dledsad·dling \ˈsad-liŋ, ˈsa-d^əl-iŋ\

Definition of SADDLE

transitive verb

1

: to put a saddle on

2

a : to place under a burden or encumbrance

b : to place (an onerous responsibility) on a person or group

intransitive verb

: to mount a saddled horse

Examples of SADDLE

1. He saddled his horse and mounted it.
2. <to the social worker it seemed as though her supervisor had once again saddled her with a truly hopeless case>

First Known Use of SADDLE

before 12th century

Related to SADDLE

Synonyms

burden, encumber, freight, lade, laden, lumber, load, weight

Antonyms

disburden, discharge, disencumber, unburden, unlade, unload

Related Words

clog, clutter, fill, pack; heap, mound, pile, stack; press, weigh; strain, tax; overburden, overload, overtax, surcharge; hamper, handicap; afflict, oppress

Near Antonyms

alleviate, ease, lighten, relieve

Rhymes with SADDLE

addle, paddle, raddle, straddle

sad·dle

noun \ˈsad-^əl\   (Medical Dictionary)

Medical Definition of SADDLE

: the part of a partial denture that carries an artificial tooth and has connectors for adjacent teeth attached to its ends

saddle

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Seat for a rider on the back of an animal, usually a horse. The leather saddle was developed between the 3rd century BC and the 1st century AD, probably by peoples of the Asian steppes, where the stirrup and the horse collar also originated. The saddle greatly improved a rider's ability to control a moving horse, especially in combat. Improvements made in medieval Europe were related to feudal battles among knights. Modern saddles are mainly divided into two types: the light, flat English or Hungarian style used for sport and recreation, and the sturdy Western style used originally for cattle roping and now also for recreation.