gallop

American  

[gal-uhp] / ˈgæl əp /

verb (used without object)

1. to ride a horse at a gallop; ride at full speed.

   They galloped off to meet their friends.

2. to run rapidly by leaps, as a horse; go at a gallop.

3. to go fast, race, or hurry, as a person or time.

   Synonyms:

   scoot, fly, speed, dash, rush, run

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verb (used with object)

1. to cause (a horse or other animal) to gallop.

noun

1. a fast gait of the horse or other quadruped in which, in the course of each stride, all four feet are off the ground at once.

2. a run or ride at this gait.

3. a rapid rate of going.

4. a period of going rapidly.

gallop British  

/ ˈɡæləp /

verb

1. (intr) (of a horse or other quadruped) to run fast with a two-beat stride in which all four legs are off the ground at once

2. to ride (a horse, etc) at a gallop

3. (intr) to move, read, talk, etc, rapidly; hurry

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noun

1. the fast two-beat gait of horses and other quadrupeds

2. an instance of galloping

Other Word Forms

• galloper noun
• outgallop verb (used with object)

Etymology

Origin of gallop

1375–1425; late Middle English galopen (v.) < Old French galoper < Frankish *wala hlaupan to run well ( well ¹, leap ) or, alternatively, verbal derivative of *walhlaup, equivalent to *wal battlefield (cognate with Old High German wal; Valkyrie ) + *hlaup run, course (derivative of the v.)

Example Sentences

Earlier in the day, the cleaves of each small hoof-print had been deep and splayed, which meant it had been galloping.

From Literature

I ignored her and tracked the Ford as it wove through the traffic, my heart galloping in my chest.

From Literature

"I don't think I have seen my team on the gallop look so well, but they are racing well."

From BBC

The slap of our sneakers switches to thuds when we start the dirt course, and two long-limbed track runners with Hempstead College singlets gallop by.

From Literature

Bold purple and magenta animations of galloping warriors silhouetted against rustling pines cover entire walls.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• amble
• dart
• dash
• hurry
• lope
• stride
• trot
• zoom