MARTINGALE

martingale

(noun) a harness strap that connects the nose piece to the girth; prevents the horse from throwing back its head

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology

Noun

martingale (plural martingales)

A piece of harness used on a horse to keep it from raising its head above a desired point.

(nautical) A spar, or piece of rigging that strengthens the bowsprit.

(mathematics) A stochastic process for which the conditional expectation of future values given the sequence of all prior values is equal to the current value.

A gambling strategy in which one doubles the stake after each loss.

(fencing) A strap attached to the sword handle, preventing a sword being dropped if disarmed.

Synonyms

• (piece of harness): tie-down

Verb

martingale (third-person singular simple present martingales, present participle martingaling, simple past and past participle martingaled)

To employ the martingale strategy in gambling.

Source: Wiktionary

Mar"tin*gale, Mar"tin*gal, n. Etym: [F. martingale; cf. It. martingala a sort of hose, martingale, Sp. martingala a greave, cuish, martingale, Sp. almártaga a kind of bridle.]

1. A strap fastened to a horse's girth, passing between his fore legs, and fastened to the bit, or now more commonly ending in two rings, through which the reins pass. It is intended to hold down the head of the horse, and prevent him from rearing.

2. (Naut.)

Definition: A lower stay of rope or chain for the jib boom or flying jib boom, fastened to, or reeved through, the dolphin striker. Also, the dolphin striker itself.

3. (Gambling)

Definition: The act of doubling, at each stake, that which has been lost on the preceding stake; also, the sum so risked; -- metaphorically derived from the bifurcation of the martingale of a harness. [Cant] Thackeray.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition