bridle
n. countable C1 Advanced US //ˈbɹaɪdəɫ// UK //bɹˈaɪdəl// bri·dle
n. a piece of equipment used to control a horse. It fits over the horse's head and has a bit in the mouth to help the rider steer.
n. a headpiece for a horse, consisting of a bit and reins, used for controlling the animal. Often used metaphorically to describe a means of restraint or control.
The rider tightened the bridle before starting the race.
After months of training, the young rider finally felt confident enough to ride without a bridle.
The poet used the image of a silver bridle to symbolize the delicate balance between freedom and the necessary constraints of social order.
From Middle English bridel, from Old English brīdel, from Proto-West Germanic brigdil, from Proto-Germanic brigdilaz (“strap, rein”), equivalent to braid + -le.