astride

American  

[uh-strahyd] / əˈstraɪd /

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.

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adverb

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

astride British  

/ əˈstraɪd /

adjective

1. with a leg on either side

2. with the legs far apart

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preposition

1. with a leg on either side of

2. with a part on both sides of

Etymology

Origin of astride

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

Example Sentences

KLAIPEDA, Lithuania—Germany’s top military officer, Gen. Carsten Breuer, stood astride a map of Lithuania laid out on the floor of a makeshift command post in this port city on the Baltic Sea.

From The Wall Street Journal

The jarring images of the king’s brother astride a steed sparked an immediate reaction in Buckingham Palace.

From The Wall Street Journal

Dorothy clicked away, capturing images of the stalwart Shoestring Glacier sitting astride the mountain’s rocky top.

From Literature

Somaliland sits astride one of the world's most strategic maritime choke points, flanked by multiple conflicts in the Horn of Africa and the Middle East.

From Barron's

Togo needs to remain at the heart of the Ecowas regional grouping and, in fact, sits astride the key Lagos-Abidjan transport corridor, a major development priority for the bloc.

From BBC