Taking It in Your Stride Comes From Horses
A stride is a long step. The idiom about taking something in your stride comes from a horse clearing an obstacle without breaking rhythm.
A stride is a long confident step. The idiom is equestrian: a horse that takes a fence *in its stride* clears it without altering its rhythm, and a person who takes bad news in their stride absorbs it without breaking step. Americans say *in stride*, the British *in his or her stride*, but the horse is the same.
- A long step. *He crossed in three strides.*
- Progress. *Great strides in treatment.*
- Take in one's stride — handle without difficulty. *She took it in her stride.*
- Hit one's stride — reach full effectiveness. *He hit his stride in his forties.*
- Stride piano — a jazz style with a leaping left hand. *Harlem stride piano.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb | stride | Stride across. |
| Past | strode | He strode off. |
| Participle | stridden | Rarely used. |
| Noun | stride | A long stride. |
| Plural | strides | Great strides. |
- She strode into the room without knocking.Past tense: strode.
- The field has made great strides.Progress.
- He took the criticism in his stride.The idiom.
Walking verbs, compared
- Stride — long steps, purposeful
- Amble — slow and relaxed
- Stroll — leisurely, often aimless
- Trudge — heavy and tired
- Stalk — stiff and angry, or predatory
Old English *stridan*, to straddle or take long steps. The past tense *strode* is inherited; the participle *stridden* is now rare enough that most speakers avoid it.
Is it strode or strided?
Strode. The participle is stridden, though most people rephrase to avoid it.
Where does take it in your stride come from?
From horse riding. A horse that jumps without breaking its rhythm takes the obstacle in its stride.