caracole

[ kar-uh-kohl ]
See synonyms for caracole on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. a half turn executed by a horse and rider.

  2. Rare. a winding staircase.

verb (used without object),car·a·coled, car·a·col·ing.
  1. to execute caracoles; wheel.

Origin of caracole

1
1650–60; <French <Spanish caracol snail, spiral shell or stair, turning movement (of a horse)

Other words from caracole

  • car·a·col·er, noun

Words Nearby caracole

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use caracole in a sentence

  • The warriors most famous for valor and strength advanced, making their horses caracole round about the fire.

    Snnica | Vicente Blasco Ibez
  • The horse of one of these cavaliers made a caracole which brought it nearly upon Alain as he was about to cross.

    The Parisians, Complete | Edward Bulwer-Lytton
  • We are to halt two days here, and before that is over, I hope you'll have made your last caracole in the riding-school of Nancy.'

  • When she found herself alone, she let her pony prance and caracole under a great pear-tree, and inwardly chafed against Anton.

    Debit and Credit | Gustav Freytag
  • The victorious knight made his horse caracole before the king, and bowed low in his saddle.

    Rolling Stones | O. Henry

British Dictionary definitions for caracole

caracole

caracol (ˈkærəˌkɒl)

/ (ˈkærəˌkəʊl) /


noun
  1. dressage a half turn to the right or left

  2. a spiral staircase

verb(intr)
  1. dressage to execute a half turn to the right or left

Origin of caracole

1
C17: from French, from Spanish caracol snail, spiral staircase, turn

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012