gallop — ODE · Shobdo

gallop /ˈɡaləp

▸ noun [in singular] the fastest pace of a horse or other quadruped, with all the feet off the ground together in each stride:

the horse broke into a furious gallop

[mass noun] a mounted police charge at full gallop.

▪ a ride on a horse at a gallop:

Wilfred went for a gallop on the sands.

▪ a very fast pace of running by a person:

she ran after them at a gallop

West Ham began at the gallop figurative.

▪ British English a track or ground where horses are exercised at a gallop:

Dancer fractured a foreleg on the gallops.

▸ verb

( gallops, galloping, galloped)

[no object, with adverbial of direction]

1 (of a horse) go at the pace of a gallop:

we galloped along the sand.

▪ [with object and adverbial of direction] make (a horse) gallop:

Fred galloped the horse off to the start.

▪ (of a person) run fast:

Leota galloped in from the halfway line.

2 proceed at great speed:

don't gallop through your speech.

▪ (of a process or event) progress in a rapid and seemingly uncontrollable manner:

his life gallops headlong towards disaster.

– DERIVATIVES

galloper /ˈɡaləpə

/ noun

– ORIGIN early 16th century: from Old French galop (noun), galoper, variants of Old Northern French walop, waloper (see wallop).