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canter

Pronunciation: /ˈkantə/
Translate canter | into French | into German | into Italian | into Spanish
Definition of canter

noun

[in singular]
  • a pace of a horse or other quadruped between a trot and a gallop, with not less than one foot on the ground at any time:I rode away at a canter
  • a ride on a horse at a canter:we came back from one of our canters

verb

[no object, with adverbial of direction]
  • (of a horse) move at a canter in a particular direction:they cantered down into the village
  • [with object] make (a horse) move at a canter:Katharine cantered Benji in a smaller and smaller circle

Phrases

in (or at) a canter

British without much effort; easily:they retained their leadership of the Second Division at a canter

Origin:

early 18th century (as a verb): short for Canterbury pace or Canterbury gallop, from the supposed easy pace of medieval pilgrims to Canterbury

canter in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of canter in the US English dictionary

Nearby words

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