▪ I. bridling, vbl. n.
(ˈbraɪdlɪŋ)
[f. bridle v.]
1. The applying of a bridle; curbing, restraining, controlling. † bridling cast: a stirrup glass.
| c 1450 Chaucer's Dreme 272 The bridling hire hors. 1513 More Rich. III (1641) 220 The brideling and punishing of such as there had misgoverned themselves. 1609 Beaum. & Fl. Scornf. Lady ii. 69 Let's have a bridling cast before you go. Fill's a new stoupe. 1684 tr. Bonet's Merc. Compit. iii. 94 The bridling the fury of the humours. 1817 G. S. Faber Eight Dissert. (1845) II. 283 For the purpose of bridling the apprehended refractoriness of subjects. 1833 Regul. Instr. Cavalry i. 42 Bridling, the Bridoon touching the corners of the mouth. |
2. The forming of a ‘bridle’ to a net.
| c 1838 C. Bathurst Nets 34 Bridling is done..on a spool a full quarter less in circumference than the one used in the body of the net. |
3. The gesture mentioned in bridle v. 3.
| 1709 Tatler No. 104 ¶1 By her bridling-up I perceived that she expected to be treated hereafter not as Jenny Distaff. 1861 Mrs. Delaney's Corr. II. 485 note, One of the first lessons in deportment..was to hold up the head on entering a room, and to keep the chin in, which is expressed by ‘bridling’. 1851 Helps Comp. Solit. vii. (1874) 122 Without any bridling-up or nonsense of any kind. |
▪ II. ˈbridling, ppl. a.
[f. as prec. + -ing2.]
That bridles: in various senses of the verb.
| 1562 Phaër æneid x. E e j, Almighty mother of gods..That..lions yolkst with brideling bittes. 1579 J. Stubbes Gaping Gulf F ij, The best brydle..to keepe in proude Fraunce, are the naturally brydeling bands of the sea. 1789 Wordsw. Even. Walk 180 He swells his lifted chest and backward flings His bridling neck. 1795 Wolcott (P. Pindar) Pindariana Wks. 1812 IV. 206 Thy bridling chin of scorn I see. |