straddle

[ strad-l ]

verb (used without object)

, strad·dled, strad·dling.

1. to walk, stand, or sit with the legs wide apart; stand or sit astride.
2. to stand wide apart, as the legs.
3. to favor or appear to favor both sides of an issue, political division, or the like, at once; maintain an equivocal position.

verb (used with object)

, strad·dled, strad·dling.

1. to walk, stand, or sit with one leg on each side of; stand or sit astride of:

   to straddle a horse.

2. to spread (the legs) wide apart.
3. to favor or appear to favor both sides of (an issue, political division, etc.).

noun

1. an act or instance of straddling.
2. the distance straddled over.
3. the taking of a noncommittal position.
4. Finance.
   1. an option consisting of a put and a call combined, both at the same current market price and for the same specified period.
   2. a similar transaction in securities or futures in which options to buy and sell the same security or commodity are purchased simultaneously in order to hedge one's risk.

straddle

/ ˈstrædəl /

verb

1. tr to have one leg, part, or support on each side of
2. informal.
   tr to be in favour of both sides of (something)
3. intr to stand, walk, or sit with the legs apart
4. tr to spread (the legs) apart
5. military to fire a number of shots slightly beyond and slightly short of (a target) to determine the correct range
6. intr (in poker, of the second player after the dealer) to double the ante before looking at one's cards

noun

1. the act or position of straddling
2. a noncommittal attitude or stand
3. commerce a contract or option permitting its purchaser to either sell or buy securities or commodities within a specified period of time at specified prices. It is a combination of a put and a call option Compare spread
4. athletics a high-jumping technique in which the body is parallel with the bar and the legs straddle it at the highest point of the jump
5. (in poker) the stake put up after the ante in poker by the second player after the dealer
6. a wooden frame placed on a horse's back to which panniers are attached

Derived Forms

• ˈstraddler, noun

Other Words From

• straddler noun
• straddling·ly adverb
• un·straddled adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of straddle¹

1555–65; apparently frequentative (with -le ) of variant stem of stride

Word History and Origins

Origin of straddle¹

C16: frequentative formed from obsolete strad- (Old English strode ), past stem of stride

Example Sentences

This precarious straddle renders them — and the brain itself — vulnerable to infections.

From Science News

Such carefully designed prescription drugs delicately straddle the line between function and sacrifice.

From The Daily Beast

That ability to straddle two sides of an acrimonious divide has served Leavell well—not only in politics, but also in music.

From The Daily Beast

Spend some time with Fiasco and you can watch him straddle that line all day long.

From The Daily Beast

They're mostly girls who straddle the line between geeky and bad-ass, a look familiar to most of today's high-school students.

From The Daily Beast

In an Internet video announcing his candidacy, Brown attempted this straddle without mentioning Schwarzenegger by name.

From The Daily Beast

And I would steal her dolls, pull their dresses for shame over their heads, and set them straddle the banisters.

From Project Gutenberg

So they dispatched the tortoise to the earth again, the monkey sitting a-straddle of his back.

From Project Gutenberg

The ridge grew narrower, sheerer, and in places they had to straddle it, legs dangling precariously to left and right.

From Project Gutenberg

Beside the road we saw a plow-boy straddle, whistling on a stile.

From Project Gutenberg

The "Hecla" was a-straddle of the well, and rows of men were tossing at her brake-beams.

From Project Gutenberg