Some 16th-century Italian clergymen tried to ban coffee because they believed it to be “satanic.” However, Pope Clement VII loved coffee so much that he lifted the ban and had coffee baptized in 1600.
BRIDLE
bridle, curb
(noun) the act of restraining power or action or limiting excess; “his common sense is a bridle to his quick temper”
bridle
(noun) headgear for a horse; includes a headstall and bit and reins to give the rider or driver control
bridle
(verb) respond to the reins, as of horses
bridle
(verb) put a bridle on; “bridle horses”
bridle
(verb) anger or take offense; “She bridled at his suggestion to elope”
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology
Noun
bridle (plural bridles)
The headgear with which a horse is directed and which carries a bit and reins.
(figurative) A restraint; a curb; a check.
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.
A mooring hawser.
A piece in the interior of a gunlock which holds in place the tumbler, sear, etc.
A gesture expressing pride or vanity.
Verb
bridle (third-person singular simple present bridles, present participle bridling, simple past and past participle bridled)
(transitive) To put a bridle on.
(transitive) To check, restrain, or control with, or as if with, a bridle; as in bridle your tongue.
(intransitive) To show hostility or resentment.
(intransitive) To hold up one's head proudly or affectedly.
Synonyms
• restrain
Anagrams
• birled
Source: Wiktionary
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.)
Definition: 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.
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.
Bri"dle, v. i.
Definition: 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.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
Recent Word Finds
Word of the Day
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INTUITIVELY
(adverb) in an intuitive manner; “inventors seem to have chosen intuitively a combination of explosive and aggressive sounds as warning signals to be used on automobiles”
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