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bridle

noun · verb

Simple meaning

Headgear for a horse.

Pronunciation

Say it like this:

bryduhl

Say the bold part a little louder.

US device voice
IPA pronunciation (US)

ˈbɹaɪdəl

This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.

IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.

Word Review

Definition

Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.

noun

  1. equestrianism

    Headgear for a horse; includes a headstall and bit and reins to give the rider or driver control

  2. equestrianism

    The headgear with which a horse is directed and which carries a bit and reins.

  3. figurative

    A restraint; a curb; a check.

  4. A piece in the interior of a gunlock which holds in place the tumbler, sear, etc.

  5. A length of line or cable attached to two parts of something to spread the force of a pull, as the rigging on a kite for attaching line.

  6. A mooring hawser.

verb

  1. transitive

    To check, restrain, or control with, or as if with, a bridle; as in bridle your tongue.

  2. intransitive

    To hold up one's head proudly or affectedly.

  3. intransitive

    To show hostility or resentment.

  4. transitive

    To put a bridle on.

Word at a Glance

Difficulty
C2 · Proficient (estimated)
Frequency
Uncommon
Formality
Technical

Word Aura™

How this word commonly comes across.

Aura for this meaning

This meaning: Headgear for a horse; includes a headstall and bit and reins to give the rider or driver control

Used this way, bridle is a reasonably familiar word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. It usually sounds natural in a wide range of settings.

Emotional tone
Neutral
Formality
Neutral
Intensity
Not strongly marked
How common
Moderately common
Connotation
Matter-of-fact
Usage feel
Neutral and straightforward

Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.

More ways to use bridle

  • “His common sense is a bridle to his quick temper.”noun
  • “She bridled at his suggestion to elope.”verb

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Common Patterns and Combinations

How this word naturally appears with others.

bridle pathdouble bridlebridle rein

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Word Family

Related forms, grouped by how they connect.

Compound terms

Established multiword terms.

  • bridle atverbCompound term

    Show anger or indignation.

  • bridle pathnounCompound term

    A path suitable for riding or leading horses (but not for cars).

  • bridle roadnounCompound term

    A path suitable for riding or leading horses (but not for cars).

  • bridle upverbCompound term

    Show anger or indignation.

Related Words

Connected to the same idea, not synonyms.

More about this wordSynonyms, forms, origin

Synonyms

Sense: headgear for a horse

curbcheck

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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.