bridle

American  

[brahyd-l] / ˈbraɪd l /

noun

• bridles
  plural

1. part of the tack or harness of a horse, consisting usually of a headstall, bit, and reins.

2. anything that restrains or curbs.

   His common sense is a bridle to his quick temper.

   Synonyms:

   check, governor

3. Machinery. a link, flange, or other attachment for limiting the movement of any part of a machine.

4. Nautical. a rope or chain secured at both ends to an object to be held, lifted, or towed, and itself held or lifted by a rope or chain secured at its center.

5. a raising up of the head, as in disdain.

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verb (used with object)

• bridles,
  present (3rd person singular)
• bridled,
  past participle,  past
• bridling
  present participle

1. to put a bridle on.

2. to control or hold back; restrain; curb.

   Synonyms:

   limit, restrict, inhibit, constrain, govern, check

verb (used without object)

• bridles,
  present (3rd person singular)
• bridled,
  past participle,  past
• bridling
  present participle

1. to draw up the head and draw in the chin, as in disdain or resentment.

   Synonyms:

   bristle

bridle British  

/ ˈbraɪdəl /

noun

1. a headgear for a horse, etc, consisting of a series of buckled straps and a metal mouthpiece (bit) by which the animal is controlled through the reins

2. something that curbs or restrains; check

3. a Y-shaped cable, rope, or chain, used for holding, towing, etc

4. machinery a device by which the motion of a component is limited, often in the form of a linkage or flange

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verb

1. (tr) to put a bridle on (a horse, mule, etc)

2. (intr) (of a horse) to respond correctly to the pull of the reins

3. (tr) to restrain; curb

   he bridled his rage

4. to show anger, scorn, or indignation

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• bridler
  noun
• bridleless
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• bridles
  plural

Participles

• bridling
  present
• bridled
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• bridle
  simple
• bridles
  simple
• have bridled
  perfect
• has bridled
  perfect
• am bridling
  progressive
• are bridling
  progressive
• is bridling
  progressive
• have been bridling
  perfect progressive
• has been bridling
  perfect progressive

Past

• bridled
  simple
• had bridled
  perfect
• was bridling
  progressive
• were bridling
  progressive
• had been bridling
  perfect progressive

Future

• will bridle
  simple
• will have bridled
  perfect
• will be bridling
  progressive
• will have been bridling
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of bridle

before 900; Middle English bridel, Old English brīdel for brigdels, equivalent to brigd- (variant stem of bregdan to braid ( def. ) ) + -els noun suffix; akin to Dutch breidel, Old High German brittel

Explanation

When you're riding a horse and scream "Whoa!" to make it stop, you're pulling on the reins, which are attached to a thing called the bridle, the buckled straps around a horse's head that help you control its movements. The word bridle comes from the Old English bridel meaning "rein, curb, restraint," which is precisely what the purpose of a bridle is — to help restrain a horse's movements when necessary. You can bridle a horse, which is the act of putting a bridle on it. If you yank too hard on the reins, your horse might bridle, or take offense to your aggressiveness, just like you might bridle if someone insulted you.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

bridle bridles bridled bridling

Bikers and wheelchair users have said a redeveloped two-mile section of a bridle path along the River Dee is not accessible to everyone.

From BBC ● Apr. 21, 2026

Castro is accused of pulling on the bridle of one horse and grabbing the reins of another as mounted deputies moved toward a crowd of protesters to enforce dispersal orders on June 14.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 2, 2025

His eyes are full of tears as he holds the little riding crop in one hand and the bridle in the other.

From Slate ● Nov. 30, 2023

But nations including South Africa and Colombia bridle at what they see as an implicit choice.

From Washington Post ● Apr. 29, 2023

“Well,” I confessed, “I’ve heard the bridle path might lead to a tunnel, through the Malverns. Thought I might go and see if I can find it.”

From "Black Swan Green" by David Mitchell

Fonsia is a prim, religious woman who bridles at Weller’s obstreperousness and salty expressions of annoyance.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026

The handlers on the ground let go of the bridles and the cows suddenly shoot forward.

From Barron's ● Oct. 20, 2025

Think animal jewelry — bridles, straps and other harness parts adorned with eagle heads, rosettes, griffins, busts of Herakles, serpents and lions, often shaped from gold.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 11, 2025

American freedom is not absolute; no American is free from the Constitution’s bridles.

From Slate ● Aug. 9, 2024

Arya helped him with the bridles and saddles, so he would not need to wake any of the others.

From "A Clash of Kings" by George R.R. Martin

Blanche bridled at the suggestion, calling it “the most false statement I have ever heard in my life.”

From Salon ● Apr. 9, 2026

Though he bridled against the genteel expectations of his upbringing, he was popular and effortlessly debonair.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 21, 2025

And he bridled when he was called in for a follow-up interview that he said involved the same questions.

From Seattle Times ● Dec. 6, 2023

And her son bridled at having to share personal information that Chavez needed in order to apply.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 19, 2023

Satin had his horse saddled and bridled and waiting for him, a fiery grey courser with a mane as black and shiny as maester’s ink.

From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin

Agency for International Development, some African governments are bridling at the conditions he has set for resuming funding to combat AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 31, 2026

This seemed to spook one of the horses, which started violently bridling, to snickers from the audience.

From New York Times ● Dec. 4, 2022

In her autobiography, Mrs. Robertson recalled bridling at staying at home and her husband’s refusal to help around the house.

From Washington Post ● Apr. 20, 2022

Channeling both Henry James and Edith Wharton, this section focuses on a man of privilege bridling against the conventions of his era in order to feel real love, perhaps to his peril.

From Seattle Times ● Jan. 19, 2022

Yossarian demanded, rising up slowly on one elbow with bridling hostility.

From "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller