Mar 30, 2016 18:44
8 yrs ago
1 viewer *
English term
trailing
English
Art/Literary
Poetry & Literature
But soon their skins turned cold, for there came a galloping across the moor, and the black mare, dabbled with white froth, went past with trailing bridle and empty saddle.
(which of the following meanings is correct? 1. moving in the air 2. dragging on the ground)
(which of the following meanings is correct? 1. moving in the air 2. dragging on the ground)
Responses
| 4 +4 | It depends |
philgoddard
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| 5 +1 | dragging on the ground |
Helena Chavarria
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Change log
Mar 30, 2016 18:44: changed "Kudoz queue" from "In queue" to "Public"
Responses
+4
52 mins
philgoddard
United States
United States
Native in English
&
English
United States
Six languages into flawless English
Native in: English
Works in: German to English, French to English, Spanish to English, and 4 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
50
Selected
It depends
"As defined in the Oxford English Dictionary, the "bridle" includes both the headstall that holds a bit that goes in the mouth of a horse, and the reins that are attached to the bit."
So whether the bridle moves in the air or trails along the ground will depend on how long the reins are, and how tall the horse is.
I don't think it's really a meaningful distinction in English, though it may be in other languages. "Trailing" simply means that no one is holding on to the reins.
So whether the bridle moves in the air or trails along the ground will depend on how long the reins are, and how tall the horse is.
I don't think it's really a meaningful distinction in English, though it may be in other languages. "Trailing" simply means that no one is holding on to the reins.
Reference:
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
+1
10 mins
Helena Chavarria
Spain
Spain
Native in English
&
English
Spain
Striving for excellence
Native in: English (Variant: British) 
Works in: Spanish to English, Catalan to English
Related KudoZ points
:
16
dragging on the ground
A bridle isn't particularly lightweight, so it would drag along the ground.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Marina Soldati
38 mins
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Thank you, Marina :-)
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| neutral |
philgoddard
: Surely it's about length, not weight.
43 mins
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Well, I just imagine the horse galloping with its reins trailing loosely, in a downwards direction, not horizontally. Jet planes leave a trail of smoke in the air (definition 1. in the question)
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| neutral |
Tony M
: probably wouldn't be long enough to actuall drag on the ground, or the horse would rapidly have broken them.
14 hrs
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Tony, thank you for your opinion. Obviously people don't understand my answer, or I didn't understand the question. I can't imagine a bridle moving in the air, like a flag, smoke, etc.
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