Standard Lemma guide

bestride

verb · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • General-American: /bɪˈstɹaɪd/
  • General-American: /bəˈstɹaɪd/
  • Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -aɪd

1

verb

Meaning 1

To be astride something, to stand over or sit on with legs on either side, especially to sit on a horse.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: straddle

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To stride over, or across.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To dominate.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively, transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

get up on the back of

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • mount a horse

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: hop on, mount, mount up, get on, jump on, climb on

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: move

Narrower terms: remount

History

Etymology

From Middle English bestriden, from Old English bestrīdan, from Proto-West Germanic *bistrīdan; equivalent to be- + stride. Compare Dutch bestrijden, German bestreiten.

Across languages

Translations

7 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Estonian: selga istuma — to sit with legs on both sides of something
  • Finnish: istua hajareisin — to sit with legs on both sides of something
  • French: chevaucher — to sit with legs on both sides of something
  • German: rittlings sitzen — to sit with legs on both sides of something
  • Italian: cavalcare — to sit with legs on both sides of something
  • Spanish: ahorcajarse — to sit with legs on both sides of something
  • Ottoman Turkish: بینمك (binmek) — to sit with legs on both sides of something