Word of the Day:

January 31, 2012

gambol

verb GAM-bul

What it Means

: to skip about in play : frisk, frolic

Gambol in Context

The children scamper and gambol about the playground with seemingly endless energy.

"Strong binoculars … allow patrons to spy on the sea otters, pelicans, cormorants and other creatures that gambol among the bay kelp." -- From an article by Peter Magnani in the San Jose Mercury News, October 10, 2011

More example sentences

Did You Know?

In Middle French, the noun "gambade" referred to the frisky spring of a jumping horse. In the early 1500s, the English word "gambol" romped into print as both a verb and a noun. (The noun means "a skipping or leaping about in play.") The English word is not restricted to horses, but rather can be used of any frolicsome creature. It is a word that suggests levity and spontaneity, and it tends to be used especially of the lively activity of children or animals engaged in active play.

Test Your Memory

What word completes this sentence from a recent Word of the Day piece: "The ___________ reason for the meeting was to review the budget, but the whole thing was really just a ruse to get him to the surprise party"? The answer is ...