astride

[uh-strahyd]

preposition

1. with a leg on each side of; straddling.

   She sat astride the horse.

2. on both sides of.

   Budapest lies astride the river.

3. in a dominant position within.

   Napoleon stands astride the early 19th century like a giant.

adverb

1. in a posture of striding or straddling; with legs apart or on either side of something.

astride

/ əˈstraɪd /

adjective

1. with a leg on either side

2. with the legs far apart

preposition

1. with a leg on either side of

2. with a part on both sides of

Word History and Origins

Origin of astride¹

First recorded in 1655–65; a- ¹ + stride

Example Sentences

It wasn't just Damian Penaud celebrating astride a model zebra that gave a surreal air to the Champions Cup final aftermath.

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It depicts a generic Native American man astride an emaciated horse.

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She rode the horseshoe back to the main stage and did “Tyrant” astride a golden mechanical bull accompanied by two bull heads on swiveling robot arms.

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Its territory, which sits astride the equator, encompasses some of the most biodiverse tracts of the Congo Basin rainforest.

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Is he a latter-day Churchill standing astride the tides of history, ready to push back Vladimir Putin on one side and Trump on the other?

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