straddle

CEFRB2

/ˈstɹædəl/

verb

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

01
verb
To sit or stand with one leg on each side of something.
02
verb
Extra detail
To be on both sides of something; to have parts that are in different places, regions, etc.

Examples

At a glance

Sits at B2 on the CEFR scale

Also pronounced

Deep Dive

Extra meanings

To consider or favor two apparently opposite sides; to be noncommittal.
To sit or stand with a leg on each side of something; to sit astride.
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).

In context

Wanting to please both sides, he straddled the issue.
Conservation and Management of Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks
This weed straddles the entire garden.

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

The word in print, with each source given in full.

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
1749, [John Cleland], “(Please specify the letter or volume)”, in Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure [Fanny Hill], London: […] [Thomas Parker] for G. Fenton [i.e., Fenton and Ralph Gr...
As they approached the entrance of the port, the giant straddled clear across it, with a foot firmly planted on each headland,
1853, Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Minotaur
The mountain-ringed Yukon Flats basin straddles the Arctic Circle and is bisected by the Yukon River.
1978, Jimmy Carter, Proclamation 4627
Those in our movement who are Black and must straddle two movements, fighting the racism of the gay community along with the heterosexism in white institutions and in communities of color.
1985 February 9, “Black History Month”, in Gay Community News, volume 12, number 29, page 4

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As a verb, attested since the 1560s. Most likely, an alteration of dialectal striddle. The noun is first attested in the 1610s.