DRESSAGE

TileHead’s Word of the Day for 24 July 2012

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Word of the Day:

DRESSAGE  (n. pl. -S)

Definition(s):

1. (n.) the art or method of training a horse in obedience and in precision of movement
2. (n.) a competitive sport involving the guiding of a horse through complex maneuvers by slight movements of the rider’s hands, legs, and weight
3. (n.) the maneuvers performed by a horse trained in this method

Useful info for word game players:

• Front hooks: (none)
• Back hooks: -S
• Anagrams: DEGASSER
• Longer extensions: (none)
• Wraparounds: (none)
• Other Spellings: (none)
• Related Forms: (none)

Epilogue:

There are three main categories of EQUESTRIAN events at the Summer Olympics: jumping, DRESSAGE, and “eventing,” the last being a sort of equestrian triathlon involving jumping, cross country, and dressage events.  The word DRESSAGE comes from the French dresser, “to train” or “to drill.”  The event involves leading a horse through complex maneuvers such as PASSAGE (a slow trot with highly elevated feet) and PIAFFE (a movement that resembles a slow trot in place), ideally in such a manner that the rider appears relaxed and the horse responds smoothly and accurately.

With that, we will ride into the sunset, anticipating the official start of the Summer Olympics later this week.  Enjoy the Games!

Word to the wise: TileHead’s word of the day feature will be a little few and far between over the next several weeks.  Please enjoy the posts when they do appear, and please be patient when they do not.  Withdrawal symptoms may be lessened by flipping through your favorite dictionary and marveling at the wondrous beauty and inexhaustibility of the English language.

Recapping the past week’s words:
FALLAWAY, APPEL, PELOTON, JUDOKA, and DRESSAGE

Also mentioned in passing:
EPEE, EQUESTRIAN, FENCING, FOIL, JUDO, JUDOIST, JUJITSU, OCTAVE, OLYMPIAD, PASSADO, PASSAGE, PIAFFE, PLASTRON, PLATOON, PRIME, PUNTO, QUARTE, QUINTE, RIPOSTE, SABER, SECONDE, SEPTIME, SIXTE, TAEKWONDO, TIERCE, TOUCHE, and VOLTE

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