canter

/ˈkæn.tə/

Etymology

Short for Canterbury pace, from the supposed easy pace of medieval pilgrims to Canterbury.

name

  1. A surname.

noun

  1. A gait of a horse between a trot and a gallop, consisting of three beats and a "suspension" phase, where there are no feet on the ground. Also describing this gait on other four-legged animals.
  2. A ride on a horse at such speed.
  3. One who cants or whines; a beggar.
  4. One who makes hypocritical pretensions to goodness; one who uses canting language.“The days when he was a canter and a rebel.”

verb

  1. To move at such pace.
  2. To cause to move at a canter; to ride (a horse) at a canter.