riding breeches
- noun
- /ˈraɪdɪŋ ˈbriːtʃɪz/
- She wore her favorite riding breeches while preparing for the competition on her horse.
Examples
-
These are riding breeches, actually.
-
Upstairs, she opened a trunk and took out an old pair of riding breeches and a maroon wool shirt of Monroe's.
Fiction book (1997) -
He showed me snapshots of himself with an expression of grim heroism on his face, wearing the riding breeches which indicated to the initiated the clandestine nature of his role.
Fiction book (1993) -
The equestrian instructor insisted that all students wear riding breeches to maintain proper riding form.
-
He bought a new pair of riding breeches that fit snugly from the knee to the ankle for his upcoming trail ride.
Synonyms
Trousers wide at the hips and tight from the knee to the ankle for horse riding
Trousers wide at the hips and tight from the knee to the ankle for horse riding
How Fitted
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound combines 'riding' (horseback activity) with 'breeches' (short trousers), so the meaning 'trousers for riding' is directly and predictably derived from the constituents. This noun + noun composition follows a common English pattern and has clear cross-linguistic equivalents, so a B1 learner who knows both words will readily understand it.
Etymology
The noun riding breeches comes from a simple image: riding (on a horse) and breeches (an old word for 'short trousers') worn so a rider could sit comfortably in a saddle. That's why these trousers are made tight from the knee to the ankle and end at the calves to fit into boots and not rub while riding.