Stirrup

Pronunciation: /ˈstɪrəp/

Definitions of stirrup

noun a support or brace for the foot in a saddle, consisting of a looped strap that hangs from the saddle and is placed around the foot of the rider

Example Sentences

A1 The cowboy put his foot in the stirrup to mount the horse.

A2 She adjusted the stirrup to the right height before riding the horse.

B1 The rider's foot slipped out of the stirrup during the bumpy ride.

B2 The leather stirrup creaked as the rider shifted their weight in the saddle.

C1 The equestrian expertly positioned their feet in the stirrups for maximum stability.

C2 The ornate silver stirrups added a touch of elegance to the rider's saddle.

Examples of stirrup in a Sentence

formal The equestrian adjusted the position of the stirrup before mounting the horse.

informal Make sure your foot is securely in the stirrup before you start riding.

slang I felt like a cowboy with my boots in the stirrups, riding through the fields.

figurative She used the success of her first book as a stirrup to launch her career as a writer.

Grammatical Forms of stirrup

• past tense: stirred
• plural: stirrups
• comparative: more stirrup
• superlative: most stirrup
• present tense: stirs
• future tense: will stir
• perfect tense: has stirred
• continuous tense: is stirring
• singular: stirrup
• positive degree: stirrup
• infinitive: to stirrup
• gerund: stirruping
• participle: stirruped

Origin and Evolution of stirrup

First Known Use: 1250 year

Language of Origin: Old English

Story behind the word: The word 'stirrup' originated from Old English 'stigrāp' which is a compound of 'stig' meaning 'climb' and 'rāp' meaning 'rope'.

Evolution of the word: Originally used to refer to a loop or ring that a rider placed their foot through for support while mounting a horse, the meaning of 'stirrup' has evolved to specifically denote the metal or wooden device attached to a saddle for the rider's foot.