He bridled her mouth with a silkweed twist. --Drake.
2. To restrain, guide, or govern, with, or as with, a bridle;
to check, curb, or control; as, to bridle the passions; to
bridle a muse. --Addison.
Savoy and Nice, the keys of Italy, and the citadel
in her hands to bridle Switzerland, are in that
consolidation. --Burke.
Syn: To check; restrain; curb; govern; control; repress;
master; subdue.
2. A restraint; a curb; a check. --I. Watts.
3. (Gun.) The piece in the interior of a gun lock, which
holds in place the tumbler, sear, etc.
4. (Naut.)
(a) A span of rope, line, or chain made fast as both ends,
so that another rope, line, or chain may be attached
to its middle.
(b) A mooring hawser.
{Bowline bridle}. See under {Bowline}.
{Branches of a bridle}. See under {Branch}.
{Bridle cable} (Naut.), a cable which is bent to a bridle.
See 4, above.
{Bridle hand}, the hand which holds the bridle in riding; the
left hand.
{Bridle path}, {Bridle way}, a path or way for saddle horses
and pack horses, as distinguished from a road for
vehicles.
{Bridle port} (Naut.), a porthole or opening in the bow
through which hawsers, mooring or bridle cables, etc., are
passed.
{Bridle rein}, a rein attached to the bit.
{Bridle road}.
(a) Same as {Bridle path}. --Lowell.
(b) A road in a pleasure park reserved for horseback
exercise.
{Bridle track}, a bridle path.
{Scolding bridle}. See {Branks}, 2.
By her bridling up I perceived she expected to be
treated hereafter not as Jenny Distaff, but Mrs.
Tranquillus. --Tatler.