Emily Dickinson Lexicon

RIDE, v.i. [pret. rode or rid; pp. rid, ridden. Sax. ridan; G. reiten; D. ryden; Sw. rida; Dan. rider; W. rhedu, to run; L. rheda, a chariot or vehicle; Hindoo, ratha, id.; Sax. rad, a riding or a road; Ir. ratha, riadh, a running; reatham, to run; ridire, a knight; allied to ready, G. bereit; beriten, to ride, and to get ready. See Ready. Class Rd, No. 5, 9.]

1. To be carried on horseback, or on any beast, or in any beast, or in any vehicle. We ride on a horse, on a camel, in a coach, chariot, wagon, &c.
2. To be borne on or in a fluid. A ship rides at anchor; the ark rode on a flood; a balloon rides in the air. He rode on a cherub and did fly; yea, he did fly on the wings of the wind. – Ps xviii.
3. To be supported in motion. Strong as the axle-tree / On which heaven rides. – Shak.
4. To practice riding. He rides often for his health.
5. To manage a horse well. He rode, he fenc'd, he mov'd with graceful ease. – Dryden.
6. To be supported by something subservient; to sit. On whose foolish honesty / My practices rid easy. – Shak. To ride easy, in seamen's language, is when a ship does not labor or feel a great strain on her cables. To ride hard, is when a ship pitches violently, so as to strain her cables, masts, and hull. To ride out, as a gale, signifies that a ship does not drive during a storm.