gait

American  

[geyt] / geɪt /

noun

1. a manner of walking, stepping, or running.

   Synonyms:

   carriage, bearing, stride, step, walk

2. any of the manners in which a horse moves, as a walk, trot, canter, gallop, or rack.

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verb (used with object)

1. to teach a specified gait or gaits to (a horse).

gait British  

/ ɡeɪt /

noun

1. manner of walking or running; bearing

2. (used esp of horses and dogs) the pattern of footsteps at various speeds, as the walk, trot, canter, etc, each pattern being distinguished by a particular rhythm and footfall

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verb

1. (tr) to teach (a horse) a particular gait

Usage

What does gait mean? Gait means the way a person or animal walks or runs.Gait is often used in the context of horses and show dogs when analyzing how they walk, trot, and run. The human gait is studied in medicine and in sports like running. Gait can also be used as a verb meaning to teach a horse a particular gait.Example: You can tell that his gait is affected by a limp.

Etymology

Origin of gait

1500–10; Scots, Middle English spelling variant of gate ¹ in various senses

Example Sentences

The officers’ gait was unmistakable: They moved with the assurance of impunity.

From Salon

Dodger’s ears kept flicking forward and back, and his muscles and gait were stiff.

From Literature

A belabored gait might mean he was carrying a stack of thick envelopes, the sort that indicate acceptance.

From The Wall Street Journal

When I got closer to town, I dragged my left foot with every step, so that if they were watching my approach, they would not recognize me by my gait.

From Literature

Once we were in the park and my father saw a boy’s unusual gait.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• bearing