Bridle

6 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Bridle \Bri"dle\, n. [OE. bridel, AS. bridel; akin to OHG.
     britil, brittil, D. breidel, and possibly to E. braid. Cf.
     {Bridoon}.]
     1. The head gear with which a horse is governed and
        restrained, consisting of a headstall, a bit, and reins,
        with other appendages.


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     2. A restraint; a curb; a check. --I. Watts.
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     3. (Gun.) The piece in the interior of a gun lock, which
        holds in place the tumbler, sear, etc.
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     4. (Naut.)
        (a) A span of rope, line, or chain made fast as both ends,
            so that another rope, line, or chain may be attached
            to its middle.
        (b) A mooring hawser.
            [1913 Webster]
  
     {Bowline bridle}. See under {Bowline}.
  
     {Branches of a bridle}. See under {Branch}.
  
     {Bridle cable} (Naut.), a cable which is bent to a bridle.
        See 4, above.
  
     {Bridle hand}, the hand which holds the bridle in riding; the
        left hand.
  
     {Bridle path}, {Bridle way}, a path or way for saddle horses
        and pack horses, as distinguished from a road for
        vehicles.
  
     {Bridle port} (Naut.), a porthole or opening in the bow
        through which hawsers, mooring or bridle cables, etc., are
        passed.
  
     {Bridle rein}, a rein attached to the bit.
  
     {Bridle road}.
        (a) Same as {Bridle path}. --Lowell.
        (b) A road in a pleasure park reserved for horseback
            exercise.
  
     {Bridle track}, a bridle path.
  
     {Scolding bridle}. See {Branks}, 2.
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     Syn: A check; restrain.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Bridle \Bri"dle\, v. i.
     To hold up the head, and draw in the chin, as an expression
     of pride, scorn, or resentment; to assume a lofty manner; --
     usually with up. "His bridling neck." --Wordsworth.
     [1913 Webster]
  
           By her bridling up I perceived she expected to be
           treated hereafter not as Jenny Distaff, but Mrs.
           Tranquillus.                             --Tatler.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Bridle \Bri"dle\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Bridled}; p. pr. & vb. n.
     {Bridling}.]
     1. To put a bridle upon; to equip with a bridle; as, to
        bridle a horse.
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              He bridled her mouth with a silkweed twist. --Drake.
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     2. To restrain, guide, or govern, with, or as with, a bridle;
        to check, curb, or control; as, to bridle the passions; to
        bridle a muse. --Addison.
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              Savoy and Nice, the keys of Italy, and the citadel
              in her hands to bridle Switzerland, are in that
              consolidation.                        --Burke.
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     Syn: To check; restrain; curb; govern; control; repress;
          master; subdue.
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From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  bridle
       n 1: headgear for a horse; includes a headstall and bit and reins
            to give the rider or driver control
       2: the act of restraining power or action or limiting excess;
          "his common sense is a bridle to his quick temper" [syn: {check},
           {curb}]
       v 1: put a bridle on; "bridle horses"
       2: respond to the reins, as of horses

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  193 Moby Thesaurus words for "bridle":
     Oregon boat, anchor, anger, arrest, back band, backstrap,
     bearing rein, bed, bed down, bellyband, bilbo, bind, bit, blinders,
     blinds, boil over, bond, bonds, break, breeching, bridle up,
     bristle, bristle up, brush, camisole, caparison, cavesson, chain,
     chains, check, checkrein, cheekpiece, chinband, cinch, collar,
     condescend, constrain, contain, control, cool, cool off, crownband,
     crupper, cuffs, curb, curry, currycomb, curtail, deal with,
     decelerate, dompt, drench, enchain, enjoin, entrammel, fasten,
     feed, fetter, flip out, fodder, gag, gag swivel, gentle, get mad,
     get sore, girth, govern, groom, guard, gyve, gyves, hackamore,
     halter, hames, hametugs, hamper, handcuff, handcuffs, handle,
     harness, headgear, headstall, hinder, hip straps, hitch, hitch up,
     hobble, hobbles, hog-tie, hold, hold at bay, hold back, hold down,
     hold fast, hold in, hold in check, hold in leash, hold up, hook up,
     hopple, hopples, inhibit, irons, jaquima, jerk line, keep,
     keep back, keep from, keep in, keep in check, keep under control,
     lash, lay under restraint, leading strings, leash, lines, litter,
     make fast, manacle, manage, martingale, milk, mince, mince it,
     moor, muzzle, noseband, patronize, peg down, picket, pillory,
     pin down, pinion, pole strap, prink, prohibit, pull, pull in,
     put in irons, reach boiling point, rein, rein in, reins, repress,
     restrain, restraint, restraints, retard, retrench, ribbons, rope,
     rub down, rule, saddle, secure, see red, set back, shackle,
     shaft tug, side check, simper, slow down, smirk, snaffle, snub,
     stocks, straightjacket, strait-waistcoat, straiten, straitjacket,
     stranglehold, strap, suppress, surcingle, tack, tackle, tame, tend,
     tether, tie, tie down, tie up, toss the head, train, trammel,
     trammels, trappings, treat, tug, water, winker braces, withhold,
     yoke
  
  

From Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary [easton]:

  Bridle
     Three Hebrew words are thus rendered in the Authorized Version.
     (1.) Heb. _mahsom'_ signifies a muzzle or halter or bridle, by
     which the rider governs his horse (Ps.39:1).
     
       (2.) _Me'theg_, rendered also "bit" in Ps. 32:9, which is its
     proper meaning. Found in 2 Kings 19:28, where the restraints of
     God's providence are metaphorically styled his "bridle" and
     "hook." God's placing a "bridle in the jaws of the people" (Isa.
     30:28; 37:29) signifies his preventing the Assyrians from
     carrying out their purpose against Jerusalem.
     
       (3.) Another word, _re'sen_, was employed to represent a
     halter or bridle-rein, as used Ps. 32:9; Isa. 30:28. In Job
     30:11 the restraints of law and humanity are called a bridle.