lope

1 of 2

noun

1
: an easy natural gait of a horse resembling a canter
2
: an easy usually bounding gait capable of being sustained for a long time

lope

2 of 2

verb

loped; loping

intransitive verb

: to move or ride at a lope
loper noun

Examples of lope in a Sentence

Verb The horses loped easily across the fields. He went loping up the hill. The outfielder loped after the ball.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
There is also more than a bit of repetition — scenes played in different settings, with different energies, props and clues, but making more or less the same point, even as the series lopes bit by bit toward a conclusion. Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 2024 Kaytranada’s signature beat, halfway between the pulse of house and the drunken lope of J Dilla, rarely lets up. Daniel Bromfield, SPIN, 7 June 2024
Verb
Super speedy folks may need to make a few adjustments, and yep, using one might require a bit more mental toughness than loping through a scenic park or by a waterfront vista. Cindy Kuzma, SELF, 2 Dec. 2024 One Great Pyrenees lopes over to say hello while another looks out from behind greenery flanking the porch’s Whiteselle Corsicana brick steps. Charlotte Collins, Architectural Digest, 26 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for lope 

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English loup, lope leap, probably from Old Norse hlaup; akin to Old English hlēapan to leap — more at leap

First Known Use

Noun

1809, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

circa 1825, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of lope was in 1809

Dictionary Entries Near lope

Cite this Entry

“Lope.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lope. Accessed 9 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

lope

noun
ˈlōp
: an easy leaping way of moving
lope verb
loper noun

More from Merriam-Webster on lope

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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