different between bridle vs halter

English

Etymology

From Middle English bridel, from Old English br?del, from Proto-Germanic *brigdilaz (“strap, rein”), equivalent to braid +? -le.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?b?a?d?l/
• Homophone: bridal
• Rhymes: -a?d?l

Noun

bridle (plural bridles)

1. The headgear with which a horse is directed and which carries a bit and reins.
   • 1961, J. A. Philip, "Mimesis in the Sophistês," Proceedings and Transactions of the American Philological Association 92, p. 457:

     […] the horseman, who is the user of bridles and knows their use

2. (figuratively) A restraint; a curb; a check.
   • 1729, Isaac Watts, The Doctrine of the Passions explain'd and improv'd

     Let wisdom put a bridle on them before they are grown head-strong and unruly

3. A length of line or cable attached to two parts of something to spread the force of a pull, as the rigging on a kite for attaching line.
4. A mooring hawser.
5. A piece in the interior of a gunlock which holds in place the tumbler, sear, etc.
6. A gesture expressing pride or vanity.

Derived terms

• bridle path
• bridlewise
• scold's bridle

Translations

Verb

bridle (third-person singular simple present bridles, present participle bridling, simple past and past participle bridled)

1. (transitive) To put a bridle on.
   • 1835, Joseph Rodmand Drake, The Culprit Fay

     He bridled her mouth with a silkweed twist.

2. (transitive) To check, restrain, or control with, or as if with, a bridle; as in bridle your tongue.
   • 1796, Edmund Burke, Letters on a Regicide Peace

     Savoy and Nice, the keys of Italy, and the citadel in her hands to bridle Switzerland, are in that consolidation.

3. (intransitive) To show hostility or resentment.

   Immigrant-rights and religious organizations bridled at the plan to favor highly skilled workers over relatives. (Houston Chronicle, 6/8/2007)

4. (intransitive) To hold up one's head proudly or affectedly.

Synonyms

• restrain

Derived terms

• unbridle

Translations

Anagrams

• birled

Middle English

Noun

bridle

1. Alternative form of bridel

English

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /?h?lt?/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?h??lt?/
• Rhymes: -??lt?(?)

Etymology 1

From Middle English halter, helter, helfter, from Old English hælfter, hælftre (“halter”), from Proto-West Germanic *halftrij? (“harness”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)kelH- (“to cut”), equivalent to half- +? -ter. Cognate with Scots helter (“halter”), Dutch halfter, halster (“halter”), Low German halfter, helchter, halter (“halter”), German Halfter (“halter, holster”).

Alternative forms

• helter (obsolete, Northern England)

Noun

halter (plural halters)

1. A bitless headpiece of rope or straps, placed on the head of animals such as cattle or horses to lead or tie them.
2. A rope with a noose, for hanging criminals; the gallows rope.
3. A halter top.

Synonyms

• headstall
• headpiece
• headcollar (British)

Translations

Verb

halter (third-person singular simple present halters, present participle haltering, simple past and past participle haltered)

1. (transitive) To place a halter on.

   What do you mean, you didn't halter the horses when we stopped for the night?

Etymology 2

halt +? -er

Noun

halter (plural halters)

1. One who halts or limps; a cripple.

Etymology 3

Noun

halter (plural halteres)

1. Alternative form of haltere

Anagrams

• Hartel, Hartle, Thrale, lather, rathel, thaler

Catalan

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ??????? (haltêres).

Pronunciation

• (Balearic, Central) IPA^(key): /?l?te/
• (Valencian) IPA^(key): /al?te?/

Noun

halter m (plural halters)

1. dumbbell

Further reading

• “halter” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.

Middle English

Alternative forms

• helter, heltre, heltere, helfter, heltyr, haltre, haltur

Etymology

Inherited from Old English hælftre, hælfter, from Proto-West Germanic *halftrij?.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?halt?r/, /?h?lt?r/, /?haltr?/

Noun

halter (plural haltres)

1. A halter; horse headgear lacking a bit.
2. (rare) A rope tied in a noose for hanging.
3. (rare) The binding contract of marriage.

Descendants

• English: halter
• Scots: helter, hilter

References

• “halter, n.(1).”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2019-02-06.

Norwegian Bokmål

Verb

halter

1. present tense of halte

Portuguese

Noun

halter m (plural halteres)

1. Alternative form of haltere

Swedish

Noun

halter

1. indefinite plural of halt