Make Your Point > Archived Issues > SADDLED
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pronounce
SADDLED:
Say it "SAD uld."
To hear it, click here.
connect this word to others:
Let's add the word saddle to a list of metaphors: things we'd really prefer not to wear, because we're not animals.
That list also includes
m___le (something that stops you from freely communicating);
t__mmel (something that traps you, as if by stopping you from kicking);
and y__e (something that burdens or restrains you, as if by tying you to something else).
Could you recall those?
(To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.)
definition:
The word "saddle" comes from Old English.
Of course, an actual saddle is a seat for a person that's strapped onto an animal's back. And if you saddle a horse (or other animal), you're strapping a seat onto it.
Figuratively, if you're saddling someone with something, you're placing a burden or a responsibility on that person. In other words, to saddle someone with something is to make them take on a heavy burden or a serious responsibility.
grammatical bits:
Part of speech:
In the figurative sense, it's a verb, the transitive kind: "College had saddled her with debt."
Other forms:
Saddled, saddling.
how to use it:
Use this clear, common word to talk about people (and events and situations) that saddle people with some difficult or tiresome task, role, debt, duty, burden, responsibility, obligation, etc.
When you do, you're suggesting that the person is like a horse, or like some other pack animal--a mule, or a goat--who's being forced to carry something heavy.
examples:
"Kate Schweizer and her husband didn’t want their two daughters, just 13 months apart, to begin their adult lives saddled with college debt, so they borrowed much of the money themselves."
— Tara Siegel Bernard, New York Times, 6 June 2021
"Having been saddled with the nickname for years, a 27-year-old man known to his friends as 'Dumptruck' told reporters Tuesday that he fears people will never get to know the real him."
— The Onion, 12 July 2011
has this page helped you understand "saddled"?
study it:
Explain the meaning of "saddled" without saying "burdened" or "weighed down."
try it out:
Think of a person, real or fictional, who bears a heavy burden.
Fill in the blanks: "(Someone) is saddled with (something)."
Example: "Frodo is saddled with an evil magical ring and an obligation to travel far to destroy it."
before you review, play:
Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.
Our game for this month is MYP Wordles!
You're likely familiar with the popular new game Wordle, created by Josh Wardle and recently purchased by the New York Times. You can play the real Wordle each day here.
It's fun, simple, and addictive. You try to guess the five-letter word. Each time you guess, you see how close you are: a green box means you've gotten the right letter in the right spot; a yellow box means you've gotten a letter that's in the word but in the wrong spot; a gray box means you've guessed a letter that isn't in the word at all.
There's only one real Wordle every day. But luckily for us, the good folks at StriveMath.com have created a copycat Wordle tool, so you can play as many Wordles as you want, and even create and share your own.
So, in each issue this month, try the MYP Wordle linked below. The answer will be a word we've studied. I'll give a series of hints that you can reveal if you choose to. If you can't figure out the answer, you can let the puzzle reveal it, or you can scroll all the way down. Enjoy!
Click here to play today's MYP Wordle.
If you need some hints, highlight the hidden white text below.
The letter it starts with is… G
The vowels it includes are… just I
The part of speech is… noun
The definition is… grain to be ground, usually corn; or, anything that you use to your own advantage, even though it seems like a neutral or even bad thing
review this word:
1.
A near opposite of SADDLED is
A. RIDDLED.
B. REDUCED.
C. RELIEVED.
2.
TVTropes.org recaps an episode like this: "A rookie pilot serving on an alien planet is saddled _____."
A. through all-out war
B. with an unlucky ship
C. into a top-flight pilot
a final word:
I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love. I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words.
From my blog:
On vocabulary...
36 ways to study words.
Why we forget words, & how to remember them.
How to use sophisticated words without being awkward.
On writing...
How to improve any sentence.
How to motivate our kids to write.
How to stop procrastinating and start writing.
How to bulk up your writing when you have to meet a word count.
From my heart: a profound thanks to the generous patrons, donors, and sponsors that make it possible for me to write these emails. If you'd like to be a patron or a donor, please click here. If you'd like to be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.
A disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.
Let's add the word saddle to a list of metaphors: things we'd really prefer not to wear, because we're not animals.
The word "saddle" comes from Old English.
Part of speech:
Use this clear, common word to talk about people (and events and situations) that saddle people with some difficult or tiresome task, role, debt, duty, burden, responsibility, obligation, etc.
"Kate Schweizer and her husband didn’t want their two daughters, just 13 months apart, to begin their adult lives saddled with college debt, so they borrowed much of the money themselves."
Explain the meaning of "saddled" without saying "burdened" or "weighed down."
Think of a person, real or fictional, who bears a heavy burden.
Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.
I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love. I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words. |