straddle

Meanings

1. To sit or stand with a leg on each side of something; to sit astride.
2. To be on both sides of something; to have parts that are in different places, regions, etc.
3. To consider or favor two apparently opposite sides; to be noncommittal.
4. To form a disorderly sprawl; to spread out irregularly.
5. To fire successive artillery shots in front of and behind of a target, especially in order to determine its range (the term "bracket" is often used instead).
6. To place a voluntary raise prior to receiving cards (only by the first player after the blinds).
7. To stand with the ends staggered; said of the spokes of a wagon wheel where they join the hub.
8. To execute a commodities market spread.

1. A posture in which one straddles something.
2. A pair or salvo of successive artillery shots falling both in front of and behind a target.
3. An investment strategy involving simultaneous trade with put and call options on the same security at the same strike price, giving a non-directional position sensitive to volatility.
4. A voluntary raise made prior to receiving cards by the first player after the blinds.
5. A vertical mine-timber supporting a set.
6. A part of a harness placed on the back of a beast of burden (such as a horse or donkey) to carry the weight of a load.

1. Astride.

Etymology

As a verb, attested since the 1560s. Most likely, an alteration of dialectal striddle. The noun is first attested in the 1610s.