astride

[ uh-strahyd ]

/ əˈstraɪd /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR astride ON THESAURUS.COM

preposition

with a leg on each side of; straddling: She sat astride the horse.

on both sides of: Budapest lies astride the river.

in a dominant position within: Napoleon stands astride the early 19th century like a giant.

adverb, adjective

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

RELATED WORDS

astraddle, athwart, piggyback

Nearby words

Origin of astride

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

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for astride

Director Ridley Scott, however, must have found the image of Cameron Diaz astride a gleaming sports car too good not to show.
The Best Scenes From Cormac McCarthy’s ‘The Counselor’ Screenplay|Thomas Flynn|October 27, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Still worse to imagine that we'd be doing all this while rolling around town on a Schwinn, rather than astride our majestic steed.
Where are the Bicycles in Post-Apocalyptic Fiction?|Megan McArdle|January 28, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Besides, the silent man behind was astride the better animal.
Bob Hampton of Placer|Randall Parrish
"She wrote she was jest waitin' fo' the minute she c'ud climb into a real saddle, astride a range-bred hawss," said Sandy.
Rimrock Trail|J. Allan Dunn

Some hours later when he returned, astride a bay mare of great beauty, he headed quite a cavalcade.
Peggy Owen and Liberty|Lucy Foster Madison
But I liked him the better for the touch of enthusiasm that made him human, and determined to keep him astride of his hobby.
The Vanishing Man|R. Austin Freeman
In half a minute he was astride the coping; next moment he had swung by his hands and let himself go on the wall's other side.
The Incredible Honeymoon|E. Nesbit

British Dictionary definitions for astride

astride

/ (əˈstraɪd) /

adjective (postpositive)

with a leg on either side

with the legs far apart

preposition

with a leg on either side of

with a part on both sides of

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for astride

astride

adv.

1660s, from a- (1) "on" + stride (n.).