trot

[ trot ]

/ trɒt /

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See synonyms for: trot / trots / trotted / trotting on Thesaurus.com

verb (used without object), trot·ted, trot·ting.

(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.

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

verb (used with object), trot·ted, trot·ting.

to cause to trot.

to ride (a horse) at a trot.

to lead at a trot.

to travel over by trotting: to spend the day trotting the country byways.

to execute by trotting.

noun

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

the sound made by an animal when trotting.

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

Harness Racing. a race for trotters.

brisk, continuous movement or activity: I've been on the trot all afternoon.

Archaic: Disparaging. an old woman.

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

the trots, Informal. diarrhea.

Informal. a toddling child.

Verb Phrases

trot out, Informal.

to bring forward for inspection.
to bring to the attention of; introduce; submit: He trots out his old jokes at every party.

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Origin of trot

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

usage note for trot

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

OTHER WORDS FROM trot

un·trot·ted, adjective

Words nearby trot

tropotaxis, -tropous, troppo, -tropy, Trossachs, trot, troth, trothplight, trotline, trot out, Trotsky

Other definitions for trot (2 of 2)

trot²

[ trot ]

/ trɒt /

noun

a trotline.

a short line with hooks, attached to the trotline.

Origin of trot

First recorded in 1880–85; short for trotline

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use trot in a sentence

Turkey Trots are set to return on Thanksgiving after a year hiatus, and at least one runner is ready to take his trot to the next level.
What You Missed: Drone Helps California Crews Find Hiker|Fred Dreier|November 18, 2021|Outside Online
Other athletes can get digestive issues, but they are usually much different than runner’s trots and are not as common.
Why do marathon runners get the runs?|Ellen Airhart|November 7, 2021|Popular-Science
The whole point of being a pageant queen is to trot around in your bikini to be ogled at while feigning sexual naiveté.
Miss America Hypocrisy: The Vanessa Williams Nude Photo Shaming|Amanda Marcotte|July 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And, of course, they trot out the Constitution to justify their actions, much as the slave holders did 150 years earlier.
The South Has Indeed Risen Again and It’s Called the Tea Party|Jack Schwartz|December 8, 2013|DAILY BEAST

He had to urge his horse to a trot, and he went tagging alongside the funnel to see what it would do.
Benjamin Franklin, America’s First Storm Chaser|Lee Sandlin|April 14, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Then I just have to “retrieve payload” from Coinapult, trot on back over to Blockchain and BAM!
My Bitcoin (Mis)adventure|Winston Ross|April 4, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Oscar forecasters like to trot out old statistics when deciding who will win which awards.
Oscar’s Best Director: Steven Spielberg vs. David O. Russell|Ramin Setoodeh|February 7, 2013|DAILY BEAST
The truth is, it is not safe to trot down such mountains and hardly to ride down them at all.
Glances at Europe|Horace Greeley
But I have some more foul way to trot through still, in your Epistles and Satyrs, &c.
A Letter from Mr. Cibber to Mr. Pope|Colley Cibber
Soon he begins to trot, and, when he thinks himself out of sight, bounds off like a greyhound.
Hunting the Lions|R.M. Ballantyne
To the left of us a horse snorted nervously; we heard him trot with high, springy strides to the end of his rope, and snort again.
Raw Gold|Bertrand W. Sinclair
I don't want to go back into my life, I don't want to trot out the old 'more sinned against than sinning' cliché.
Bella Donna|Robert Hichens

British Dictionary definitions for trot (1 of 2)

trot

/ (trɒt) /

verb trots, trotting or trotted

to move or cause to move at a trot

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

noun

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

a steady brisk pace

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

angling

one of the short lines attached to a trotline
the trotline

Australian and NZ informal a run of lucka good trot

mainly British a small child; tot

US slang a student's crib

on the trot informal

one after the otherto read two books on the trot
busy, esp on one's feet

the trots informal

diarrhoea
NZ trotting races

Word Origin for trot

C13: from Old French trot, from troter to trot, of Germanic origin; related to Middle High German trotten to run

British Dictionary definitions for trot (2 of 2)

Trot

/ (trɒt) /

noun

informal a follower of Trotsky; Trotskyist

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

Other Idioms and Phrases with trot

trot

In addition to the idiom beginning with trot

trot out

also see:

hot to trot

trot

Origin of trot

usage note for trot

OTHER WORDS FROM trot

Words nearby trot

Other definitions for trot (2 of 2)

Origin of trot

Words related to trot

How to use trot in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for trot (1 of 2)

Word Origin for trot

British Dictionary definitions for trot (2 of 2)

Other Idioms and Phrases with trot