DictionaryRoot: rap
Old English

rap

rope

1 / 2
A close side view of a riding saddle on a plain saddle stand, with one metal stirrup prominently suspended from its leather strap.
noun

stirrup

STIR-up/ˈstɪrəp/

A loop or U-shaped support.

Etymology

The pieces mean “climbing rope”: a stirrup was originally a looped rope that helped a rider mount a horse. The name survives for the saddle’s hanging foot support.

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