to bridle up
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
In Fr. se rengorger, to draw in the chin and toss the head back in scorn or pride. The metaphor is to a horse pulled up suddenly and sharply.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “to bridle up” mean?
In Fr. se rengorger, to draw in the chin and toss the head back in scorn or pride. The metaphor is to a horse pulled up suddenly and sharply.
Is “to bridle up” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.