trot

¹ American  

[trot] / trɒt /

verb (used without object)

trotted, trotting

1. (of a horse) to go at a gait between a walk and a run, in which the legs move in diagonal pairs, but not quite simultaneously, so that when the movement is slow one foot at least is always on the ground, and when fast all four feet are momentarily off the ground at once.

2. to go at a quick, steady pace; move briskly; bustle; hurry.

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verb (used with object)

trotted, trotting

1. to cause to trot.

2. to ride (a horse) at a trot.

3. to lead at a trot.

4. to travel over by trotting.

   to spend the day trotting the country byways.

5. to execute by trotting.

noun

1. the gait of a horse, dog, or other quadruped, when trotting.

2. the sound made by an animal when trotting.

3. the jogging gait of a human being, between a walk and a run.

4. Harness Racing. a race for trotters.

5. brisk, continuous movement or activity.

   I've been on the trot all afternoon.

6. Archaic: Disparaging. an old woman.

7. Slang. a literal translation used illicitly in doing schoolwork; crib; pony.

8. Informal. the trots, diarrhea.

9. Informal. a toddling child.

verb phrase

1. trot out

   1. to bring forward for inspection.

   2. to bring to the attention of; introduce; submit.

      He trots out his old jokes at every party.

trot ² American  

[trot] / trɒt /

noun

1. a trotline.

2. a short line with hooks, attached to the trotline.

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trot ¹ British  

/ trɒt /

verb

1. to move or cause to move at a trot

2. angling to fish (a fast-moving stream or river) by using a float and weighted line that carries the baited hook just above the bottom

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noun

1. a gait of a horse or other quadruped, faster than a walk, in which diagonally opposite legs come down together See also jog trot rising trot sitting trot

2. a steady brisk pace

3. (in harness racing) a race for horses that have been trained to trot fast

4. angling

   1. one of the short lines attached to a trotline

   2. the trotline

5. informal a run of luck

   a good trot

6. a small child; tot

7. slang a student's crib

8. informal

   1. one after the other

      to read two books on the trot

   2. busy, esp on one's feet

9. informal

   1. diarrhoea

   2. trotting races

Trot ² British  

/ trɒt /

noun

1. informal a follower of Trotsky; Trotskyist

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trot Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing trot

• hot to trot

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Sensitive Note

The meaning “old woman” is archaic, used with disparaging intent especially in contexts where the woman is regarded as mean, ugly, etc.

Other Word Forms

• untrotted adjective

Etymology

Origin of trot¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English verb trotten, trot(te), from Middle French trot(t)er, from Germanic; akin to Old High German trottōn “to tread,” Middle High German trotten “to run”; noun derivative of the verb

Origin of trot²

First recorded in 1880–85; short for trotline

Example Sentences

As Fennell trots along Brontë’s tentpoles, she dusts the narrative between these plot points with sensational set pieces and eye-popping costumes.

From Salon

I spent the next several days trotting to back-to-back appointments for procedures and tests, including a breathing test, a PET scan and a lung biopsy.

From The Wall Street Journal

I wrinkle my nose at a mangy dog trotting down the street.

From Literature

And in my head I was already trotting off, looking for that stick, even though I could smell the stink and the thorns were pricking me.

From Literature

Sam trotted back to the living room, where his dad was still watching baseball.

From Literature

Related Words

• amble
• hurry
• jog
• lope
• scamper