straddle
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straddle
- /ˈstɹædəl/
- [ˈstɹ̝̊ʷædəl] ~ [ˈstɹ̝̊ʷædl̩]
- [ˈst̠ɹ̠̊˔ʷædəl] ~ [ˈst̠ɹ̠̊˔ʷædl̩]
- /ˈstɹæɾəl/
- [ˈstɹ̝̊ʷæɾəl] ~ [ˈstɹ̝̊ʷæɾl̩]
- [ˈst̠ɹ̠̊˔ʷæɾəl] ~ [ˈst̠ɹ̠̊˔ʷæɾl̩]
Rhymes with -ædəl
Where it comes from
As a verb, attested since the 1560s. Most likely, an alteration of dialectal striddle. The noun is first attested in the 1610s.
verb straddles · straddling · straddled
-
To sit or stand with a leg on each side of something; to sit astride.
But guess my surprise, when I saw the lazy young rogue lie down on his back, and gently pull down Polly upon him, who giving way to his humour, straddled, and with her hands conducted her blind favourite to the right place
Similar: stride
- To be on both sides of something; to have parts that are in different places, regions, etc. The mountain-ringed Yukon Flats basin straddles the Arctic Circle and is bisected by the Yukon River.
- To consider or favor two apparently opposite sides; to be noncommittal. Wanting to please both sides, he straddled the issue.
- To form a disorderly sprawl; to spread out irregularly. This weed straddles the entire garden.
- To fire successive artillery shots in front of and behind of a target, especially in order to determine its range (the term "bracket" is often used instead).
- To place a voluntary raise prior to receiving cards (only by the first player after the blinds).
- To stand with the ends staggered; said of the spokes of a wagon wheel where they join the hub.
- To execute a commodities market spread.
noun straddles
- A posture in which one straddles something.
- A pair or salvo of successive artillery shots falling both in front of and behind a target. The first salvo fell short; the next was long; the third was a straddle.
- An investment strategy involving simultaneous trade with put and call options on the same security at the same strike price, giving a non-directional position sensitive to volatility.
- A voluntary raise made prior to receiving cards by the first player after the blinds.
- A vertical mine-timber supporting a set.
- A part of a harness placed on the back of a beast of burden (such as a horse or donkey) to carry the weight of a load.
adverb
- Astride.
Translations
Every language
verb to sit or stand with a leg on each side of something
| Español | ahorcajarse |
|---|---|
| 日本語 | 跨がる matagaru |
| 中文 | 跨 kuà, 跨骑, 横跨 héngkuà |
| हिन्दी | पैर फैलाकर बैठना pair phailākar baiṭhnā, दोनों ओर टाँगें करके बैठना donõ or ṭāṅgẽ karke baiṭhnā, बताने के लिये अनिच्छुक होना batāne ke liye anicchuk honā |
| Português | montar |
| Français | enfourcher, se mettre à califourchon |
| Deutsch | grätschen, spreizen, breitbeinig stehen, mit gespreizten Beinen stehen, rittlings sitzen |
| Italiano | divaricare, sedersi a cavalcioni |
| Русский | сидеть верхом sidetʹ verxom |
| العربية | اِمْتَطَى imtaṭā |
verb to be on both sides of something
| Deutsch | überspannen, überbrücken, überdecken, abdecken, überspreizen, sich über beide Seiten erstrecken |
|---|
verb to consider or favor two apparently opposite sides
| Deutsch | vermitteln, ausweichen, zwischen zwei Seiten schwanken |
|---|
verb to form a disorderly sprawl
| Español | desparramar |
|---|---|
| Deutsch | sich verteilen, streuen, sich zerstreuen, sich ausbreiten |
verb to fire shots in front and behind of a target
| Italiano | scavalcare |
|---|
Talk about this word "straddle." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/straddle. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. straddle. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/straddle "straddle." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/straddle.Cite this
@misc{straddle_2026,
title = {straddle},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/straddle},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
