bridle
bridle definition
bri·dle (brīd′'l)
noun
- a head harness for guiding a horse: it consists of headstall, bit, and reins
- anything resembling a horse's bridle
- anything that controls or restrains
- frenum
- a connecting metal strip for limiting motion in machinery
- Naut. a cable with the ends fast and another cable attached to it between the ends for applying force, as in towing a ship
Etymology: ME & OE bridel < bregdan, move quickly: see braid
transitive verb bridled bri′·dled, bridling bri′·dling
- to put a bridle on
- to curb or control with or as with a bridle
intransitive verb
- to pull one's head back quickly with the chin drawn in as an expression of anger, scorn, pride, etc.
- to take offense (at)
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