Bridle

• POS: Noun, Verb (intransitive), Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: bri=dle

CIDE DICTIONARY

Bridle, n. [OE. bridel, AS. bridel; akin to OHG. britil, brittil, D. breidel, and possibly to E. braid. Cf. Bridoon.].

•  The head gear with which a horse is governed and restrained, consisting of a headstall, a bit, and reins, with other appendages.  [1913 Webster]
•  A restraint; a curb; a check.  I. Watts.  [1913 Webster]
•  The piece in the interior of a gun lock, which holds in place the tumbler, sear, etc.  [1913 Webster]
•  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.  [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.

Syn. -- A check; restrain.

Bridle, v. t. 

•  To put a bridle upon; to equip with a bridle; as, to bridle a horse.  [1913 Webster]

  "He bridled her mouth with a silkweed twist."  [1913 Webster]
•  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.  [1913 Webster]

  "Savoy and Nice, the keys of Italy, and the citadel in her hands to bridle Switzerland, are in that consolidation."  [1913 Webster]

Syn. -- To check; restrain; curb; govern; control; repress; master; subdue.

Bridle, 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.  Wordsworth.  [1913 Webster]
"By her bridling up I perceived she expected to be treated hereafter not as Jenny Distaff, but Mrs. Tranquillus."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Bridle, n. & v.
--n.
1 a the headgear used to control a horse, consisting of buckled leather straps, a metal bit, and reins. b a restraining thing or influence (put a bridle on your tongue).
2 Naut. a mooring-cable.
3 Physiol. a ligament checking the motion of a part.
--v.
1 tr. put a bridle on (a horse etc.).
2 tr. bring under control; curb.
3 intr. (often foll. by up) express offence, resentment, etc., esp. by throwing up the head and drawing in the chin.

Idiom

bridle-path (or -road or -way) a rough path or road fit only for riders or walkers, not vehicles.

Etymology

OE bridel

THESAURUS

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

ROGET THESAURUS

Bridle

Restraint

VB restrain, check, put under restraint, lay under restraint, enthral, enthrall, inthral, inthrall, bethral, bethrall, restrict, debar, constrain, coerce, curb, control, hold back, hold from, hold in, hold in check, hold within bounds, keep back, keep from, keep in, keep in check, keep within bounds, hold in leash, hold in leading strings, withhold, keep under, repress, suppress, smother, pull in, rein in, hold, hold fast, keep a tight hand on, prohibit, inhibit, cohibit, enchain, fasten, fetter, shackle, entrammel, bridle, muzzle, hopple, gag, pinion, manacle, handcuff, tie one's hands, hobble, bind hand and foot, swathe, swaddle, pin down, tether, picket, tie down, tie up, secure, forge fetters, disable, hamstring (incapacitate), confine, shut up, shut in, clap up, lock up, box up, mew up, bottle up, cork up, seal up, button up, hem in, bolt in, wall in, rail in, impound, pen, coop, inclose, cage, incage, encage, close the door upon, cloister, imprison, immure, incarcerate, entomb, clap under hatches, lay under hatches, put in irons, put in a strait-waistcoat, throw into prison, cast into prison, put into bilboes, arrest, take up, take charge of, take into custody, take prisoner, take captive, make prisoner, make captive, captivate, lead captive, lead into captivity, send to prison, commit to prison, commit, give in charge, give in custody, subjugate.

Prison

N prison, prison house, jail, gaol, cage, coop, den, cell, stronghold, fortress, keep, donjon, dungeon, Bastille, oubliette, bridewell, house of correction, hulks, tollbooth, panopticon, penitentiary, guardroom, lockup, hold, round house, watch house, station house, sponging house, station, house of detention, black hole, pen, fold, pound, inclosure, isolation (exclusion), penal settlement, penal colony, bilboes, stocks, limbo, quod, calaboose, chauki, choky, thana, workhouse, Newgate, Fleet, Marshalsea, King's Bench, Queen's Bench, bond, bandage, irons, pinion, gyve, fetter, shackle, trammel, manacle, handcuff, straight jacket, strait jacket, strait-jacket, strait-waistcoat, hopples, vice, vise, yoke, collar, halter, harness, muzzle, gag, bit, brake, curb, snaffle, bridle, rein, reins, bearing rein, martingale, leading string, tether, picket, band, guy, chain, cord, cavesson, hackamore, headstall, jaquima, lines, ribbons, bolt, deadbolt, bar, lock, police lock, combination lock, padlock, rail, wall, stone wall, paling, palisade, fence, picket fence, barbed wire fence, Cyclone fence, stockade fence, chain-link fence, barrier, barricade, drag.

Pride

VB be proud, put a good face on, look one in the face, stalk abroad, perk oneself up, think no small beer of oneself, presume, swagger, strut, rear one's head, lift up one's head, hold up one's head, hold one's head high, look big, take the wall, bear like the Turk no rival near the throne, carry with a high hand, ride the high horse, mount on one's high horse, set one's back up, bridle, toss the head, give oneself airs, boast, pride oneself on, glory in, take a pride in, pique oneself, plume oneself, hug oneself, stand upon, be proud of, put a good face on, not hide one's light under a bushel, not put one's talent in a napkin, not think small beer of oneself.

Husbandry

VB tame, domesticate, acclimatize, breed, tend, break in, train, cage, bridle.