Definition

1. Verb (past participle of ride):
   • Past participle form: "ridden" is the past participle of the verb to ride, meaning to have traveled on or in a vehicle or animal (e.g., a horse, bicycle, bus, or car) as a means of transportation or recreation.
   • Afflicted or dominated by: Used in a figurative sense, "ridden" describes a state of being overwhelmed, oppressed, or controlled by something, often negative (e.g., guilt, fear, prejudice).

Usage Examples

• Past participle of to ride:

  • She has ridden horses since she was a child. (She has traveled on horseback repeatedly over time.)
  • He had ridden his bicycle to work before the rain started. (He traveled by bicycle prior to the rain.)

• Figurative use (afflicted or dominated):

  • He was ridden with guilt after the accident. (He was overwhelmed and tormented by guilt.)
  • The country is ridden by corruption. (The nation is dominated and damaged by widespread corruption.)

Advanced Usage

• "ridden by remorse": To be deeply troubled or tormented by regret.

  • The criminal was ridden by remorse for his actions. (He was constantly distressed by his guilt.)

• "ridden with disease": To be severely affected or infested by illness.

  • The abandoned building was ridden with disease. (The structure was heavily contaminated and unhealthy.)

Variants and Related Words

• Ride (verb, base form): To travel on or in a vehicle or animal.

  • They ride the bus to school every day. (They travel by bus regularly.)

• Rider (noun): A person who rides, especially on a horse, bicycle, or motorcycle.

  • The rider fell off the horse during the race. (The person on horseback lost balance.)

• Riding (noun/verb): The activity of traveling on a horse, bicycle, etc.

  • Riding is a popular hobby in the countryside. (The activity of horseback travel is common.)

Synonyms

• Afflicted: Suffering from something unpleasant or harmful.

  • He was afflicted with a chronic illness. (He suffered from a long-term disease.)

• Overwhelmed: Completely overcome by a strong emotion or force.

  • She was overwhelmed by sadness. (She was deeply affected by sorrow.)

• Oppressed: Subjected to harsh and unfair treatment or control.

  • The people were oppressed by the dictator. (They were dominated and mistreated.)

Phrasal Verbs

• Ride out: To endure or survive a difficult situation.

  • They rode out the storm in a safe shelter. (They waited and survived the storm's impact.)

• Ride up: To move upward or become bunched (of clothing).

  • Her skirt rode up as she sat down. (The fabric shifted upward on her body.)

Related Idioms

• Ridden hard and put away wet: Treated harshly or used excessively without care.

  • After working overtime for weeks, he felt ridden hard and put away wet. (He was exhausted and mistreated by his job.)

• Ridden by the devil: To be under the influence of evil or extreme bad luck.

  • He seemed ridden by the devil, making one bad decision after another. (He was dominated by negative forces.)