stirrup

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: stir=rup

CIDE DICTIONARY

stirrup, n. [OE. stirop, AS. stigrāp; stīgan to mount, ascend + rāp a rope; akin to G. stegreif a stirrup. √164. See Sty, v. i., and Rope.].

•  A kind of ring, or bent piece of metal, wood, leather, or the like, horizontal in one part for receiving the foot of a rider, and attached by a strap to the saddle, -- used to assist a person in mounting a horse, and to enable him to sit steadily in riding, as well as to relieve him by supporting a part of the weight of the body.  [1913 Webster]

  "Our host upon his stirpoes stood anon."  [1913 Webster]
•  Any piece resembling in shape the stirrup of a saddle, and used as a support, clamp, etc. See Bridle iron.  [1913 Webster]
•  A rope secured to a yard, with a thimble in its lower end for supporting a footrope.  Totten.  [1913 Webster]

Stirrup bone (Anat.), the stapes. -- Stirrup cup, a parting cup taken after mounting. -- Stirrup iron, an iron stirrup. -- Stirrup leather, or Stirrup strap, the strap which attaches a stirrup to the saddle. See Stirrup, 1.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

stirrup, n.
1 each of a pair of devices attached to each side of a horse's saddle, in the form of a loop with a flat base to support the rider's foot.
2 (attrib.) having the shape of a stirrup.
3 (in full stirrup bone) = STAPES.

Idiom

stirrup-cup a cup of wine etc. offered to a person about to depart, orig. on horseback. stirrup-iron the metal loop of a stirrup. stirrup-leather (or -strap) the strap attaching a stirrup to a saddle. stirrup-pump a hand-operated water-pump with a foot-rest, used to extinguish small fires.

Etymology

OE stigrap f. stigan climb (as STILE(1)) + ROPE

THESAURUS

stirrup

Eustachian tube, anvil, auditory apparatus, auditory canal, auditory meatus, auditory nerve, auditory ossicles, auditory tube, auricle, basilar membrane, bellyband, bony labyrinth, cauliflower ear, cinch, cochlea, conch, concha, drumhead, ear, ear lobe, eardrum, endolymph, external ear, girt, girth, hammer, horn, incus, inner ear, jockey, lobe, lobule, lug, malleus, mastoid process, middle ear, organ of Corti, outer ear, oval window, perilymph, pinna, pommel, round window, secondary eardrum, semicircular canals, shell, stapes, surcingle, tympanic cavity, tympanic membrane, tympanum, vestibule

ROGET THESAURUS

stirrup

Support

N support, ground, foundation, base, basis, terra firma, bearing, fulcrum, bait, caudex crib, point d'appui, pou sto, purchase footing, hold, locus standi, landing place, landing stage, stage, platform, block, rest, resting place, groundwork, substratum, riprap, sustentation, subvention, floor, supporter, aid, prop, stand, anvil, fulciment, cue rest, jigger, monkey, stay, shore, skid, rib, truss, bandage, sleeper, stirrup, stilts, shoe, sole, heel, splint, lap, bar, rod, boom, sprit, outrigger, ratlings, staff, stick, crutch, alpenstock, baton, staddle, bourdon, cowlstaff, lathi, mahlstick, post, pillar, shaft, thill, column, pilaster, pediment, pedicle, pedestal, plinth, shank, leg, socle, zocle, buttress, jamb, mullion, abutment, baluster, banister, stanchion, balustrade, headstone, upright, door post, jamb, door jamb, frame, framework, scaffold, skeleton, beam, rafter, girder, lintel, joist, travis, trave, corner stone, summer, transom, rung, round, step, sill, angle rafter, hip rafter, cantilever, modillion, crown post, king post, vertebra, columella, backbone, keystone, axle, axletree, axis, arch, mainstay, trunnion, pivot, rowlock, peg, tiebeam, thole pin, board, ledge, shelf, hob, bracket, trevet, trivet, arbor, rack, mantel, mantle piece, mantleshelf, slab, console, counter, dresser, flange, corbel, table, trestle, shoulder, perch, horse, easel, desk, clotheshorse, hatrack, retable, teapoy, seat, throne, dais, divan, musnud, chair, bench, form, stool, sofa, settee, stall, arm chair, easy chair, elbow chair, rocking chair, couch, fauteuil, woolsack, ottoman, settle, squab, bench, aparejo, faldstool, horn, long chair, long sleeve chair, morris chair, lamba chauki, lamba kursi, saddle, pannel, pillion, side saddle, pack saddle, pommel, bed, berth, pallet, tester, crib, cot, hammock, shakedown, trucklebed, cradle, litter, stretcher, bedstead, four poster, French bed, bunk, kip, palang, bedding, bichhona, mattress, paillasse, pillow, bolster, mat, rug, cushion, footstool, hassock, tabouret, tripod, monopod, Atlas, Persides, Atlantes, Caryatides, Hercules, supporting, supported, fundamental, dorsigerous, astride on, straddle.