gallop

verb gal·lop \ ˈga-ləp \

Definition of gallop

intransitive verb

1 :to progress or ride at a gallop

2 :to run fast

transitive verb

1 :to cause to gallop

2 :to transport at a gallop

—

galloper

noun

See gallop defined for English-language learners

See gallop defined for kids

Examples of gallop in a Sentence

The horse galloped toward us.
He mounted his horse and galloped off to sound the alarm.
She galloped her horse toward us.
I grabbed my books and galloped out the door.
The program gallops through early American history.

Recent Examples of gallop from the Web

Matt’s parents were funding the trip, which sent galloping a stable’s worth of insecurities in Adair.

— jeff maysh, Los Angeles Magazine, "The Cop Who Became a Robber," 22 Aug. 2017
When Richard Saukko galloped his chalk-white Arabian horse named Traveler around the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum almost 56 years ago, it was supposed to be a one-time stunt.

— nathan fenno, latimes.com, "Traveler, USC's mascot, comes under scrunity for having a name similar to Robert E. Lee's horse," 18 Aug. 2017
In October 2016, a deer jumped through a window at Aspen Cafe in St. John and galloped through the restaurant.

— meredith colias, Post-Tribune, "Oh deer: Family has a laugh after animal crashes through home," 14 Aug. 2017
The highlights of the ceremony, though, are the daring stunts performed by the 150 or so riders – all with their horses galloping at full speed.

— michael holtz, The Christian Science Monitor, "An iconic Tibetan horse festival – with politics in the wings," 10 Aug. 2017
For a moment, Gherini thought the two galloping dogs belonged to Bigelow.

— marcos bretón, sacbee, "Fighting off a pit bull to save a woman and her dog is just the beginning of his story," 31 July 2017
Venezuela has been rocked by near-daily protests since late March, fueled by widespread discontent over shortages of basic goods, galloping inflation and allegations that Maduro is undermining democracy in the country.

— fabiola sanchez, The Seattle Times, "Jailed Venezuela opposition leader Lopez given house arrest," 8 July 2017
Venezuela has been rocked by near-daily protests since late March, fueled by widespread discontent over shortages of basic goods, galloping inflation and allegations that Maduro is undermining democracy in the country.

— fabiola sanchez, chicagotribune.com, "Jailed Venezuela opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez given house arrest," 8 July 2017
There are trips to the workshops of Alexander Graham Bell, Thomas Edison and Coca-Cola Co. and visits with Sears & Roebuck, Annie Oakley and Sallie Gardner (the galloping black horse that starred in the very first moving picture).

— pam kragen, sandiegouniontribune.com, "One last dispatch from the Fringe: 8 shows close annual festival," 4 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'gallop.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of gallop

Middle English galopen, walopen, borrowed from Anglo-French galoper, gualoper (Picard dialect waloper), perhaps going back to Old Low Franconian *wala hlaupan, literally "to run well," from *wala "well, with good appearance or effect" (going back to Germanic *welō) + *hlaupan "to run," going back to Germanic *hlaup-a- — more at ³well, ¹leap

Note: An alternative explanation sees the Old French noun as primary, and derived from Old Low Franconian *walhlaup-, from *wal- "battlefield" and *hlaup-, a nominal derivative of *hlaupan (hence alluding to a warriorʼs manner of riding on the battlefield). Though the meaning of the first noun is reflected in Old High German wal "battlefield," the general meaning of the Germanic etymon is "the slain, the dead in battle" (see valhalla).

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 15th century

See Words from the same year

gallop Synonyms

Synonyms

dash, run, jog, scamper, sprint, trip, trot

Related Words

bound, canter, leap, lope, shag, skip, spring; barrel, belt, blast, blaze, blow, bolt, bomb [slang], bowl, breeze, bustle, buzz, cannonball, careen, course, foot (it), hare, hasten, hie, hoof (it), hotfoot (it), hump, hurl, hurry, hurtle, hustle, jet, leg (it), pelt, race, ram, rip, rocket, rush, rustle, shoot, speed, tear, whirl, whisk, zip, zoom; nip, patter, scoot, scurry, scuttle, step (along)

Near Antonyms

amble, saunter, shamble, shuffle, stroll; crawl, creep, dally, dawdle, dillydally, drag, lag, linger, loiter, poke, tarry; lumber, plod, trudge; hobble, limp

gallop

noun

Definition of gallop

1 :a bounding gait of a quadruped; specifically :a fast natural usually 4-beat gait of the horse — compare ³canter, run

2 :a ride or run at a gallop

3 :a stretch of land suitable for galloping horses

4 :a rapid or hasty progression or pace

See gallop defined for English-language learners

Examples of gallop in a Sentence

The horse was at full gallop.
He mounted his horse and took off at a gallop.
We went for a gallop through the countryside.

Recent Examples of gallop from the Web

A young elk gallops across the road in front of our car.

— michael lewis, The Hive, "Why the Scariest Nuclear Threat May Be Coming from Inside the White House," 2 Aug. 2017
A young elk gallops across the road in front of our car.

— michael lewis, The Hive, "Why the Scariest Nuclear Threat May Be Coming from Inside the White House," 2 Aug. 2017
A young elk gallops across the road in front of our car.

— michael lewis, vanityfair.com, "Why the Scariest Nuclear Threat May Be Coming from Inside the White House," 26 July 2017
Hot off the trail of the San Diego County Fair, the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club Racing season gallops into the Del Mar Fairgrounds for 36 days of horses, hats and summertime entertainment.

— carolina gusman, sandiegouniontribune.com, "What to wear on Opening Day? Big hats, of course," 12 July 2017
The tough course features a long uphill drag out of the starting gates, a left-hand bend around Tattenham Corner, a downhill gallop into the straight before an uphill finish.

— rob hodgetts, CNN, "What's in a name? How the Derby could have been the Bunbury," 1 June 2017
So ready that the colt tried to buck off his exercise rider at the start of a 1.5-mile gallop at Pimlico Race Course on Monday, causing himself to stumble.

— mark inabinett, AL.com, "2017 Preakness Stakes: Triple Crown hopeful Always Dreaming 'ready to go'," 18 May 2017
Always Dreaming has been at Pimlico since last Tuesday and there will be no workouts, just long, strong gallops to hone the colt's fitness.

— dick jerardi, Philly.com, "Always Dreaming has the talent to win the Preakness, but will he? | Dick Jerardi," 18 May 2017
After the gallop at 6 this morning, Always Dreaming looked relaxed as he was given his bath in front of a small crowd of onlookers.

— ron fritz, baltimoresun.com, "Always Dreaming energetic in early morning workout at Pimlico," 15 May 2017

Origin and Etymology of gallop

borrowed from Middle French & Anglo-French galop, noun derivative of galoper "to ¹gallop"; replacing Middle English walop, borrowed from Anglo-French walop, galop

Note: Alternatively, the noun could be original, and the verb a derivative of the noun. See note at ¹gallop.

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1523

See Words from the same year

GALLOP Defined for English Language Learners

gallop

verb

Definition of gallop for English Language Learners

of a horse or similar animal : to run very fast : to run at a gallop
: to ride on a galloping horse
: to make (a horse) gallop

gallop

noun

Definition of gallop for English Language Learners

: the way a horse or similar animal moves when it is running fast and all four of its feet leave the ground at the same time
: a ride or run at a gallop