bridlewise

American

[brahyd-l-wahyz] / ˈbraɪd lˌwaɪz /

adjective

(of a horse) obedient to a touch of the reins on the neck, without pressure of the bit on the mouth.

bridlewise British

/ ˈbraɪdəlˌwaɪz /

adjective

(of a horse) obedient to the pressure of the reins on the neck rather than to the bit

"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

Etymology

Origin of bridlewise

An Americanism dating back to 1820–30; bridle + wise ¹

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"You had better cut it bridlewise," replied the master of the house, "for then we shall all stand a better chance to get a bit in our mouths."

From Project Gutenberg

And when they're bridlewise and all, you can bring 'em in and get more.

From Project Gutenberg

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023