Bestrid

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To sit or stand with legs on either side of something ; to dominate or control something as if straddling it
2. Placing oneself atop an object with legs astride ; exercising authority over something as one would while mounted
3. Taking a position across or above something with legs on both sides ; presiding over or commanding a situation as if physically spanning it

Etymology: Bestrid is the past participle of "bestride," a verb that came into English from Old English "bestrīdan," built from the prefix be- and "stride." The be- adds the sense of straddling, so the verb means to stride across something with a foot or leg on each side. Its relatives show the same root: Dutch "bestrijden" means to fight, and German "bestreiten" means to dispute, so the shared idea of striding over or against something has taken different paths in each language.