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