Definition of "astraddle"

The Charioteer rides afore, a-ſtraddle on the Beam that makes the Yoke for the Oxen, which is covered with Scarlet, and finely carved underneath […]

1698, John Fryer, “Takes Notice of Broach; the Change of Governors at Surat; Intestine Broils of the Empire; Rencounters of the English; and Portentous Accidents of This Year”, in A New Account of East-India and Persia, in Eight Letters. Being Nine Years Travels, Begun 1672. And Finished 1681. […], London: […] R[obert] R[oberts] for Ri[chard] Chiswell, letter VI, page 410

A faint string of smoke was rising from a cigarette-tray—a number of Vanity Fair sat astraddle on the table.

1922, F[rancis] Scott Fitzgerald, “A Matter of Civilization”, in The Beautiful and Damned, New York, N.Y.: Charles Scribner’s Sons, book 3, section “The False Armistice”, page 356

She climbed his body and wrapped her legs around him and they made love there, man standing, woman astraddle, in the stone odor of demolition.

2003, Don DeLillo, Cosmopolis‎, New York: Scribner, Part Two, Chapter 4, p. 177

[…] see that your men reload their muskets the meanwhile, ready for any old woman we may see riding through the air astraddle a broomstick.

1848, Joseph Holt Ingraham, chapter 2, in Mark Manly: or, The Skipper’s Lad‎, New York: Williams Brothers, page 15

The used-to-be sheriff sat rakishly astraddle his horse.

1969, Maya Angelou, chapter 3, in I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, New York, N.Y.: Random House, page 17

He spies a group of Irish officers astraddle the road, conferring on horseback.

2011, Guy Vanderhaeghe, chapter 22, in A Good Man‎, Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, page 359