astride

adv

1. (not-comparable)With one’s legs on either side.

   “The men ride their horses astride.”

prep

1. With one’s legs on either side of.

   “The boy sat astride his father’s knee.”

2. Extending across (something).

   “Chʻung-ming, an island astride the mouth of the Yangtze, had been captured against quite stiff opposition from the Chinese River Defense Force and was being developed into an advance naval and air base.”

   “The units have transverse seats, two and three astride the passageway with single or double longitudinal seats alongside the two entrance vestibules in each car.”