trot

1 of 4

verb

trotted; trotting

intransitive verb

1
: to ride, drive, or proceed at a trot
the fox trotted over the knoll
2
: to proceed briskly : hurry

transitive verb

1
: to cause to go at a trot
2
: to traverse at a trot

trot

2 of 4

noun (1)

1
a(1)
: a moderately fast gait of a quadruped (such as a horse) in which the legs move in diagonal pairs
(2)
: a jogging gait of a human that falls between a walk and a run
b
: a ride on horseback
2
trots plural : diarrhea
used with the
3
: an old woman
4
: a literal translation of a foreign text

trot

3 of 4

noun (2)

: trotline
also : one of the short lines with hooks that are attached to a trotline at intervals

Trot

4 of 4

noun (3)

: an adherent of Trotskyism : trotskyist, trotskyite

Examples of trot in a Sentence

Verb A horse trotted past us. The batter trotted around the bases after hitting a home run. She trotted off to help. The little boy trotted along after his mother.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
The actors who appear in these films trot around a circuit of similar press stops, saying similar things about their similar performances in similar movies. Peter C. Baker, New York Times, 14 Mar. 2024 In the clip, the formerly shy and slow-moving dog happily prances after Jeanette as the pair trots around a backyard. Kelli Bender, Peoplemag, 13 Mar. 2024 No disrespect to the pastry chef, the talent behind the lovely bonbons and edible parting gifts, but the sweetest thing here is the Burkes’ toddler, Atticus, who plays or naps behind the kitchen door and whose dad might trot him out at the end of service. Tom Sietsema, Washington Post, 20 Feb. 2024 Flores, who helped recruit Soler to San Francisco, trotted home. Evan Webeck, The Mercury News, 26 Feb. 2024 In the video, the baby rhino rapidly trots around his habitat, quickly zigzagging around the space and other rhinos. Kelli Bender, Peoplemag, 22 Feb. 2024 His dad, Jason, could see the agony on his face, rushed over, and trotted along the grass next to him as Carson gutted it out down the stretch. Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 27 Jan. 2024 Photographer Dusan Smetana jumps down to get a shot of the print in the morning light, then trots his mule fast to catch up with the three of us. Bill Heavey, Field & Stream, 1 Feb. 2024 But there was Taylor on Saturday night, trotting back out of the locker room and onto the Indianapolis sideline, pacing back and forth like a gladiator ready to be unleashed, refusing to give in to the pain coursing through his ankle. The Indianapolis Star, 7 Jan. 2024
Noun
Horses used the warning track to stretch their legs, ranging from a walk to a trot, maybe even a lope. Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Jan. 2024 Butter Bean, an elderly canine of terrier extraction, trots around the house in a sweater vest bearing a jangling sleigh bell. Carolina A. Miranda, Los Angeles Times, 11 Jan. 2024 Nothing overtly frightening, but all of it was terrible—the tautness of the tape, the businesslike trot of the dogs, the way the crowns of the trees thrashed with the force of the helicopter blades. Fiona McFarlane, The New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2024 The bull trots to the other side of the ring while men pick up the young man and carry him out. Toby Muse, Rolling Stone, 3 Mar. 2024 If all that sounds like too much exertion, plan a picnic and have a pony trot it up the hillside for you in sweet woven panniers courtesy of The Fife Arms, which is also one of the area’s most charming places to stay. Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Jan. 2024 The venue sits 21 feet above grade; reaching the lobby requires a trip in an elevator or a trot up a flight of stairs. Carolina A. Miranda, Los Angeles Times, 26 Dec. 2023 In Jerusalem, for example, who even bothers to look up when a prophet in the throes boards the light rail at the Mount Herzl military cemetery, or when a messiah in white robes astride a white donkey trots down Jaffa Road past the municipal center blowing his horn? Tova Reich, Harper's Magazine, 11 Dec. 2023 The Rockefeller tree is all aglow, locals and tourists alike trot through Bryant Park’s Winter Village, the Saks window displays are a decadent delight, and ice skating escapades take over weekend plans. Abrigail Williams, Vogue, 3 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'trot.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from troter to trot, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German trottōn to tread, Old English tredan

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Noun (2)

1883, in the meaning defined above

Noun (3)

1962, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of trot was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near trot

Cite this Entry

“Trot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trot. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

trot

1 of 2 noun
1
: a moderately fast gait of a four-footed animal (as a horse) in which a front foot and the opposite hind foot move at the same time
2
: a human jogging pace between a walk and a run

trot

2 of 2 verb
trotted; trotting
1
: to ride, drive, go, or cause to go at a trot
2
: to go along quickly : hurry

More from Merriam-Webster on trot

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