riding

views updated May 17 2018

ri·ding1 / ˈrīding/ • n. the sport or activity of riding horses.• adj. 1. designed for or associated with the sport of riding: smartly tailored riding clothes.2. (of a machine or device) designed to be operated while riding on it: a riding mower.ri·ding2 • n. 1. (usu. the East/North/West Riding) one of three former administrative divisions of Yorkshire. 2. an electoral district of Canada.

riding

views updated May 14 2018

riding is a term indicating a third part. By 1086 Yorkshire was divided into North, West, and East Ridings, all three converging on York. The arrangement may well be of Scandinavian origin. For a time ridings had courts; their jurisdiction is uncertain. It appears that in the 11th cent. the term was also applied to the divisions of Lincolnshire: Lindsey, Holland, and Kesteven. Furthermore, medieval Lindsey was divided into North, South, and West Ridings. The Yorkshire ridings became independent counties by the Act of 1888; the arrangements being much altered by local government legislation of 1972 and 1996.

James Campbell

riding

views updated May 21 2018

riding any of the three districts of Yorkshire (East, West, and North). XI. In Est Treding, Estreding, Nort Treding (Domesday Book), Nort riding, etc. (XII), alt., by change of to t(t), of late OE. *þriding, *þriðing — ON. þriðjungr third part, f. þriði THIRD; see -ING3.

riding

views updated May 29 2018

riding1 each of three former administrative divisions of Yorkshire, usually known as the East, North, and West Ridings; the word is recorded in Old English in the form trithing, from Old Norse þriðjungr ‘third part’. The initial th- was lost due to assimilation with the preceding -t of East, West, or with the -th of North.

riding

views updated May 23 2018

riding2 riding for a fall acting in a reckless or arrogant way that invites defeat or failure. A horse-riding expression of the late 19th century, meaning to ride a horse, especially in the hunting field, in such a way as to make an accident likely.

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