SADDLE

I. noun Usage: often attributive Etymology: Middle English sadel, from Old English sadol; akin to Old High German satul ~ Date: before 12th century 1. a. a girthed usually padded and leather-covered seat for the rider of an animal (as a horse), a part of a driving harness comparable to a ~ that is used to keep the breeching in place, a seat to be straddled by the rider of a vehicle (as a bicycle), a device mounted as a support and often shaped to fit the object held, 3. a ridge connecting two higher elevations, a pass in a mountain range, 4. both sides of the unsplit back of a carcass including both loins, a colored marking on the back of an animal, the rear part of a male fowl's back extending to the tail, the central part of the spine of the binding of a book, a piece of leather across the instep of a shoe, ~less adjective II. verb (~d; saddling) Date: before 12th century transitive verb to put a ~ on, 2. to place under a burden or encumbrance, to place (an onerous responsibility) on a person or group, intransitive verb to mount a ~d horse