ride
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
"to RIDE the high horse," or "RIDE roughshod over one," to be overbearing or oppressive; "to RIDE the black donkey," to be in an ill humour.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “ride” mean?
"to RIDE the high horse," or "RIDE roughshod over one," to be overbearing or oppressive; "to RIDE the black donkey," to be in an ill humour.
Is “ride” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.