Scrabble Bingo of the Day: CABRESTA

Scrabble Bingo of the Day: CABRESTA [n/pl.]

A cabresta (also cabestro or cabresto) is simply a lasso, a rope formed with a running noose that's used on ranches and Western plains for catching horse and cattle. Cabresta comes from the Spanish word halter, which refers to the headgear used for leading or tying up livestock and other animals. But halter also used to mean to hang someone by roped noose, which could be how it became popular as a term for a noosed lasso.

Cabrestas were usually made of animal hair, mostly horsehair, which was prone to breakage and unraveling from dragging on the ground. Stronger lassos like the lariat and riata are preferred, once made of braided or twisted horsehide or rawhide, now mainly made of hemp rope.

CABESTRO [n/pl.] -TROS  a lasso

CABRESTA [n/pl.] -S  cabestro

CABRESTO [n/pl.] -TOS  cabestro

Related words:

BIT [v] BITTED, BITTING, BITS  to restrain (to hold back from action)

BIT [n/pl.] -S  something bitten or held with the teeth

BRIDLE [v] -DLED, -DLING, -DLES  to control with a restraint

BRIDLE [n/pl.] -DLES  headgear with which a horse is governed and which carries a bit and reins

HALTER [v] -ED, -ING, -S  to put restraint upon

HALTER [n/pl.] -S  a rope or strap for leading or tying an animal

HEADSTALL [n/pl.] -S  a part of a bridle or halter that encircles the head

HONDA [n/pl.] -S  a part of a lariat

LARIAT [v] -ED, -ING, -S  to lasso

LARIAT [n/pl.] -S  a lasso (a long rope with a running noose)

LASSO [v] -ED, -ING, -S or -ES  to catch with a lasso

LASSO [n/pl.] -S or -ES  a long rope with a running noose

LASSOER [n/pl.] -S  one that lassos

* LAZO [v] -ED, -ING, -S or -ES  to lasso

* LAZO [n/pl.] -S or -ES  lasso (a long rope with a running noose)

NOOSE [v] NOOSED, NOOSING, NOOSES  to secure with a type of loop

NOOSE [n/pl.] NOOSED, NOOSING, NOOSES  to secure with a type of loop

REATA [n/pl.] -S  riata

REIN [v] -ED, -ING, -S  to restrain (to hold back from action)

REIN [n/pl.] -S  a strap fastened to a bit by which a rider or driver controls an animal

RIATA [n/pl.] -S  a lasso (a long rope with a running noose)

* Only acceptable in Scrabble play outside of North America.

Photos by photo-dictionary, BoogieDowner