bearing rein
1
9.9
- noun
- Archaic
:
rienda de sujeción
- The coachman adjusted the bearing rein to keep the horse's head held high.
Examples
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Animal welfare advocates criticized the use of the bearing rein as cruel to horses.
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The historical film depicted horses fitted with a bearing rein while pulling carriages through the city.
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The bearing rein is crucial for control.
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Don't forget the bearing reins!
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The driver used a bearing rein to keep the horse's head elevated during the ride.
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During the competition, the rider adjusted the bearing rein to ensure the horse's head was held high.
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With the bearing rein in place, the horse maintained an impressive posture throughout the event.
Synonyms
A strap on a bridle that keeps a horse's head up
How Restrictive
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound combines 'rein' (a strap to guide a horse) with 'bearing' (from 'bear', meaning carriage or posture), so a learner can infer it is a rein that affects a horse's bearing. However, the specific sense of holding the head in a raised, particular position is somewhat specialized and relies on knowing 'bearing' as 'posture', which is not highly frequent at B1, making the relation only partially predictable.
Etymology
Bearing rein comes from old horse gear: a rein (a strap) was used to change a horse's bearing (its head and posture) by pulling the head up so the horse looked proud. So, the term means 'a rein used to keep a horse's head in a particular position' and the picture of a strap forcing the head up explains the phrase and why people often call it cruel.