a seat for the rider of a horse or other animal
"The cowboy carefully tightened the leather strap of his saddle before mounting the horse."
a pass or ridge that slopes gently between two peaks (is shaped like a saddle)
"The climbers trekked across the narrow saddle connecting the two towering mountain peaks."
cut of meat (especially mutton or lamb) consisting of part of the backbone and both loins
"The butcher sold a fresh saddle of lamb to prepare for the family dinner."
a piece of leather across the instep of a shoe
"The old boot had a worn saddle on its front that dug into her foot with every step."
a seat for the rider of a bicycle
"The old bicycle had a rusty saddle that needed to be replaced immediately."
posterior part of the back of a domestic fowl
"The hen had developed a large, fleshy saddle on her back as she aged."
A seat (tack) for a rider placed on the back of a horse or other animal.
"The cowboy carefully adjusted his saddle before mounting the horse."
In plain English: A saddle is a padded seat that fits on top of an animal's back so someone can ride it comfortably.
"The old cowboy carefully adjusted his worn leather saddle before mounting his horse."
Usage: As a noun, "saddle" refers specifically to the padded seat strapped onto an animal's back for riding. When used as a verb, it means to place this equipment directly upon the creature rather than just sitting in it yourself.
To put a saddle on (an animal).
"The cowboy carefully saddled the horse before riding into town."
In plain English: To saddle someone means to unfairly blame them for something they did not do.
"The heavy backpack seemed to saddle me with too much responsibility for such a short trip."
The word "saddle" comes from Old English and originally meant a seat for riding an animal. Although some scholars suggest it may ultimately derive from a root meaning "to sit," the exact origin remains uncertain due to linguistic inconsistencies.