saddle (redirected from saddling)

have a burr under one's saddle

Rur. to be irritated by something. Joe has a burr under his saddle because Jane's going out with Bill tonight. Mary must have a burr under her saddle. She's been snapping at me all day.

See also: have

look like a saddle on a sow

Rur. to look ridiculous and out of place. Tom: How do you like my new diamond earring? Jane: It looks like a saddle on a sow. The fancy wheels on that beat-up old car look like a saddle on a sow.

See also: like, look, sow

saddle someone with someone or something

Fig. to burden someone with someone or something undesirable, annoying, or difficult to deal with. I apologize for saddling you with my young cousin all day. I didn't mean to saddle you with my problems.

saddle an animal up

to put a saddle on a horse or some other beast of burden. Please saddle my horse up. I have to leave. Would you saddle up my horse for me?

See also: animal, up

saddle up 

1. Lit. to prepare one's horse for riding by putting a saddle on it. Let's saddle up and go for a ride.

2. Fig. to mount one's horse and sit in the saddle. The cowboys saddled up and took off after the rustlers.

See also: up

saddled with someone or something

Fig. burdened with someone or something. I've been saddled with the children all day. Let's go out tonight. I don't want to be saddled with your work.

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be in the saddle

to be in control of a situation With a new leader firmly in the saddle the party looks set for victory at the next election.

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back in the saddle

doing something you stopped doing for a period of time Friedman's career seemed to be finished a month ago, but he's back in the saddle and playing for Houston.

See also: back

in the saddle

in control It looks like those who oppose environmental controls are going to be in the saddle.

Related vocabulary: in the driver's seat

Etymology: based on the idea that someone who is in the saddle (seat fastened on the back of a horse) controls the horse's movements

saddle somebody/something with something

to give someone or something a difficult responsibility Student aid often comes as loans, which can saddle students with debt for years. I hope I'm not going to be saddled with all the cooking on this vacation. The company was saddled with many lawsuits.