saddle

I. 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 • saddleless adjective II. verb (saddled; saddling) 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