ENGLISH
REFERENCE

ridden

v. · adj.
US //ˈɹɪdən// UK //ɹˈɪdən// rid·den
  1. 1 past participle of ride (v.)
    B1 Intermediate

    the form of 'ride' used with 'have' or 'has'.

    the past participle of the irregular verb 'ride'.

    Example

    She has ridden her bicycle to work every day this week.

    Example

    Having ridden across the entire continent on a vintage motorcycle, he felt uniquely qualified to write about the changing landscape of the interior.

    Pitfall
    I have rode a horse before.
    I have ridden a horse before.

    Use 'ridden' as the past participle with 'have'; 'rode' is the simple past form.

  2. 2 full of or plagued by (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    used in word combinations to show that something is full of a bad thing.

    used as a combining form to indicate being dominated, harassed, or plagued by the specified noun.

    Example

    The old house was ghost-ridden and falling apart.

    Example

    The politician's guilt-ridden conscience eventually led him to make a full public confession regarding the campaign finances.

    Usage

    Always used as a suffix in compound adjectives like 'guilt-ridden' or 'disease-ridden'.
Etymology 1

Morphologically ride + -en. See ride (verb).

Etymology 2

Morphologically rid + -en. See rid.

Idioms1 entry

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