I. ˈgāt, usu -ād.+V noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English gait, gate — more at gate (way)
1. archaic : gate III 1
2. now dialect : gate III 2
3. Scotland : gate III 3
4.
a. : the manner of walking, running, or moving on foot
a fast gait
an awkward gait
the gait of a cowboy — Current Biography
b. : any of the sequences of foot movement (as the walk, trot, pace, or canter) by which a horse moves forward
c. : the manner of moving forward in a vehicle
everything swayed and veered in obedience to the gait of the train — Nadine Gordimer
step up our gait to near the posted speed limit of 55 — Sat. Eve. Post
5.
a. : the general speed or rate at which life proceeds or at which activities are pursued
life in the summer slowed down to a leisurely gait
b. : the speed or rate of performance or accomplishment (as of production)
after the speedup, the gait was 300 airplanes a month
II. transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
1. : to train (a horse) to use a particular gait or set of gaits
2. : to lead (a show dog) before a judge to display carriage and movement
III. noun
( -s )
Etymology: probably alteration of gate (I)
1. : the distance between two adjoining carriages of a lace frame in textile manufacturing
2. Britain : a full repeat of a pattern in harness weaving — used in the woolen trade
IV. transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: by alteration
: gate II 3