I. gal ‧ lop 1 /ˈɡæləp/ BrE AmE verb
[ Date: 1500-1600 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: galoper ]
1 . [intransitive] if a horse gallops, it moves very fast with all its feet leaving the ground together ⇨ canter , trot :
A neighbour’s horse came galloping down the road, riderless.
a galloping horse
2 . [intransitive and transitive] if you gallop, you ride very fast on a horse or you make it go very fast
gallop along/off/towards etc
I watched as Jan galloped away.
3 . [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] to move very quickly SYN run :
Ian came galloping down the stairs.
• • •
THESAURUS
■ animals running
▪ trot to run fairly slowly, taking short steps – used especially about horses and dogs:
A little dog was trotting behind her.
▪ gallop if a horse gallops, it runs very quickly:
The horse galloped off across the field.
▪ bolt to suddenly run somewhere very fast, especially in order to escape:
Suddenly a fox bolted out from beneath a hedge.
II. gallop 2 BrE AmE noun
1 .
a) [singular] the movement of a horse at its fastest speed, when all four feet leave the ground together ⇨ canter , trot :
The horses broke into a gallop (=begin to go very fast) .
at a/full gallop
Mounted police charged at full gallop.
b) [countable] a ride on a horse when it is galloping
2 . [singular] a very fast speed
at a/full gallop
The project began at full gallop.