straddle

verb [T]

/ˈstræd.l̩/

Definition

› to sit or stand with your legs on either side of something: He pulled on his helmet and straddled the motorbike.Boarding and alighting from modes of transport › Something that straddles a line, such as a border or river, exists on each side of it or goes across it: Our farm straddles the railway line.Crossing and moving through › to combine different styles or subjects: It's described as a new kind of dance music which straddles jazz and soul.Connecting and combiningVariety and mixturesMixing and mixtures › mainly US disapproving to be unable to decide which of two opinions about a subject is better and so partly support both opinions: It's not the first time this year that the president has been accused of straddling an issue.Doubt and ambivalenceHesitating

(Definition of straddle verb from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)