stirrup-leather
The leather strap by which a stirrup hangs from the saddle.
| 139. Earl Derby's Exped. (Camden) 46 Pro j pare styrop., et styrop lethres, viij s. pr. 1394–5 Durham Acc. Rolls (Surtees) 599 In 2 par. de Stirhaplethirs et 1 pari de Stiraps, 18d. 1470 York Memo. Bk. (Surtees) I. 92 To make stirrop lethyrs of blak barked lethir. 1591 Greene Conny Catching ii. Wks. (Grosart) X. 77 Stirhops and stirhop leathers, so quaintly and artificially made that is may bee put in the slop of a mans hose. 1620 Shelton 2nd Pt. Quix. xiv. 87 So he ran after his Master, laying hold vpon one of Rozinantes stirrup leathers. 1701 Lond. Gaz. No. 3717/4 He had on a plain Leathern Saddle with new Stirrup-Leathers. 1890 ‘R. Boldrewood’ Col. Reformer xvi, The length of the stirrup-leathers conveyed..the fact that the rider..was an individual of unusual length of limb. 1895 Sir H. Maxwell Duke of Britain xii. 171 Numidian lancers..riding with very short stirrup-leathers after the African custom. |
| attrib. 1653 Urquhart Rabelais i. xxxv, He most nimbly..shifting his feet in the stirrup, performed the stirrup leather feat. |
b. As an instrument for flogging.
| 1611 Cotgr., Stafilade, a lash, or thwacke with a stirrup-leather. 1652 J. Wright tr. Camus' Nat. Paradox ix. 226 The Souldiers..laced their shoulders so well with their stirrop-leathers, that they made them swim in their own blood. 1726 N. Blundell Diary (1895) 221, I had seaven Lads of this Town beaton at my Gate-Hous with a Sterrop-Leather. 1831 Scott Cast. Dang. xii, Flagellation with belts, stirrup-leathers, or surcingles. |