Category:Bridle

Bri"dle, n. Etym: [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.

2. A restraint; a curb; a check. I. Watts.

3. (Gun.)

Defn: The piece in the interior of a gun lock, which holds in place the timbler, sear, etc.

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. 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 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. He bridled her mouth with a silkweed twist. Drake.

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. Savoy and Nice, the keys of Italy, and the citadel in her hands to bridle Switzerland, are in that consolidation. Burke.

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

Bridle Bri"dle, v. i.

Defn: 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. By her bridling up I perceived she expected to be treated hereafter not as Jenny Distaff, but Mrs. Tranquillus. Tatler.

---excerpt from the Illustrated Bible Dictionary

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 (Psalms 39:1).

(2.) Metheg, rendered also "bit" in Psalms 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" (Isaiah 30:28; Isaiah 37:29) signifies his preventing the Assyrians from carrying out their purpose against Jerusalem.

(3.) Another word, resen, was employed to represent a halter or bridle-rein, as used Psalms 32:9; Isaiah 30:28. In Job 30:11 the restraints of law and humanity are called a bridle.