rhizoverbBeta
DictionaryRoot: -le
English

-le

repeated or slight action

Forms

  • -le

Origin

An old Germanic verb ending, surviving in many English action words.

Note

It is no longer freely added to every verb. Matching final letters do not by themselves establish this formation.

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verb / noun

straddle

STRAD-ul/ˈstrædl/

To occupy both sides of something.

A woman straddles a stationary bicycle with both feet on the ground.

White woman straddles a stationary bicycle, both feet on ground opposite sides.
Etymology
straddMiddle Englishto stride or take long steps
+leEnglishrepeated or slight action

Probably formed from a frequentative of “stride,” straddle first described spreading the legs wide. That posture developed into the sense of placing one leg on either side of something.

More examples

  • Their farm straddles the state line.
  • He sits in a straddle on the narrow bench.
  • The senator straddles the fence rather than choosing a side.

Forms

straddle · straddles · straddled · straddling

Similar words

span
Emphasizes reaching across a space rather than occupying opposite sides.
bridge
Emphasizes connecting two sides rather than merely occupying both.