DCHP-3

lariat

[< Am. E < Sp. la riata, reata rope, tether]
DCHP-1 (pre-1967)

Entry from the DCHP-1 (pre-1967)

This entry may contain outdated or offensive information, terms, and examples.

1†n.

originally, a long halter or tether of braided rawhide or horsehair; now, usually, a lasso.

Quotations

1835
[Coils of cordage at his saddle-bow, which [we] were told were lariats, or noosed cords, used in catching the wild horse.]
1873
Its skin gave him a house, its robe a blanket and a bed, its undressed hide a boat . . . its leather a lariat for his horse, a saddle, bridle, rein, and bit.
1919
. . . Carney dropped the rein from over the horse's head to the ground, took his lariat from the saddle-horn, hung the two pack-bags over his shoulder, and . . . slipped through the bush. . . .
1962
Already Marvin was rolling down his lariat.
2n. — Obs.

any long rope.

Quotations

1909
At times these lightened boats were poled or tracked through the broken water, towed by the men, from such foothold as the rocky banks afforded, by means of a long lariat tied to the boat's bow, with loops over each trackman's shoulder, one man steering with a long sweep.