What does “bridle” mean?
bridle
Oh, this is a good one —
A bridle is a set of straps you put on a horse's head to control where it goes. You hold the reins, which are connected to the bridle, and the horse follows your direction. Like, "She put the bridle on the horse before her morning ride."
Now here's the fun part — "bridle" also means to react with pride or anger, usually when someone says something that offends you. You kind of pull back, like a horse pulling against the reins. Like, "He bridled when his boss took credit for his idea." Or, "She bridled at the rude comment."
So the original meaning is about controlling a horse, but when you use it about a person, it means they're reacting like a horse that doesn't want to be controlled — proud, a little offended, pulling back.
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