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s, or the upper part of such a range; any extended elevation between valleys. "The frozen ridges of the Alps." Shak. Part rise crystal wall, or ridge direct. Milton.

a harness which passes over the saddle, and supports the shafts of a cart; -- called also ridgerope, and ridger. Halliwell.

The backbone. [Obs.] Blood . . . lying cluttered about the ridgebone. Holland.

Same as Ridgelling.

A little ridge.

A half-castrated male animal.

See Ridgepole.

The timber forming the ridge of a roof, into which the rafters are secured.

See Life line (a), under Life.

To make shorter; to shorten in duration; to lessen; to diminish; to curtail; as, to abridge labor; to abridge power or rights. "The bridegroom . . . abridged his visit." Smollett. She retired herself to Sebaste, and abridged her train from state to necessity. Fuller.

One who abridges.

A variety of the game of bridge in which the players, beginning with the dealer, bid for the privilege of naming the trump and playing with the dummy for that deal, there being heavy penalties for a player's failure to make good his bid. The score value of each trick more than six taken by the successful bidder is as f…

tition in the fire chamber of a furnace, for deflecting flame, etc.; -- usually called a bridge wall. Aqueduct bridge. See Aqueduct. -- Asses' bridge, Bascule bridge, Bateau bridge. See under Ass, Bascule, Bateau. -- Bridge of a steamer (Naut.), a narrow platform across the deck, above the rail, for the convenience o…

A bridge keeper; a warden or a guard for a bridge. [Obs.] Sir W. Scott.

A board or plank used as a bridge.

A fortification commanding the extremity of a bridge nearest the enemy, to insure the preservation and usefulness of the bridge, and prevent the enemy from crossing; a tête-de-pont.

The system of bracing used between floor or other timbers to distribute the weight. Bridging joist. Same as Binding joist.

Having no bridge; not bridged.

The adjustable socket, or step, of a millstone spindle. Knight.

The beam which supports the spindle socket of the runner in a grinding mill. Knight.