Browbands

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The leather strap that runs across a horse's forehead as part of its bridle and holds the headpiece in place
2. A band of leather fitted over the brow of a horse, forming part of the bridle that keeps the headstall steady
3. Forehead strap of a horse's bridle, passing across the brow to help secure the rest of the headgear

Etymology: "Browbands" is the plural of "browband", a compound of "brow" and "band". The brow is the forehead or the ridge above the eyes, and a browband is the strip of leather on a horse's bridle that passes across the forehead just above the eyes. The compound is transparent: the band that goes over the brow. Because the word describes a single piece of tack, its plural simply means several such straps, as on a set of harnesses or a row of bridles.