CANTER • DICTIONARY ONE.COM • Definition of Canter

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/kˈæntər/ Listen

noun

Canter n.

A moderate and easy gallop adapted to pleasure riding. Note: The canter is a thoroughly artificial pace, at first extremely tiring to the horse, and generally only to be produced in him by the restraint of a powerful bit, which compels him to throw a great part of his weight on his haunches... There is so great a variety in the mode adopted by different horses for performing the canter, that no single description will suffice, nor indeed is it easy... to define any one of them.

A rapid or easy passing over. "A rapid canter in the Times over all the topics."

Canter n.

One who cants or whines; a beggar.

One who makes hypocritical pretensions to goodness; one who uses canting language. "The day when he was a canter and a rebel."

verb

Canter v. t. To cause, as a horse, to go at a canter; to ride (a horse) at a canter.

Canter v. i. (past & past part. cantered; pres. part. cantering) To move in a canter.

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Etymology of 'Canter'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Canter" Quotes from Famous Books

... back on his shoulder-blades in the armchair. "It is the preliminary canter," he announced. "Now we're off, and you watch me ...

— Foe-Farrell • Arthur Thomas Quiller-Couch

... And so it was that the loyal friendship grew and strengthened. The one trick he had was never ventured upon when she was on his back, even after she became accustomed to riding at rapid gait and enjoying the springy canter over the prairie before Van went back to his stable. It was a strange trick: ...

— Lippincott's Magazine, November 1885 • Various

... the feelings by lifting the curtain From these scenes of woe? Enough, it is certain, Has here been disclosed to stir up the pity Of every benevolent heart in the city, And spur up humanity into a canter To rush and relieve these sad cases instanter. Won't somebody, moved by this touching description, Come forward to-morrow and head a subscription? Won't some kind philanthropist, seeing that aid is So needed at once by these indigent ladies, ...

— The Wit and Humor of America, Volume VIII (of X) • Various

... been carried off by some one. Suspicion strongly turns against that fellow Rochford, who came with Lejoillie to our house. She and Rita, and two black servants, had ridden out a short distance only from Castle Kearney, when Juanita suddenly exclaimed that she would canter on ahead of them. Before they could advise her not to go, she was off, and was soon hidden from sight. They rode forward, expecting her every instant to reappear; but when they reached a more open ...

— In the Wilds of Florida - A Tale of Warfare and Hunting • W.H.G. Kingston

... to extinguish the wounded buffalo, I gave chase to the retreating bull. At an easy canter he would gain a hundred paces and then, turning, he would face me; throwing his nose up, and turning his head to one side with a short grunt, he would advance quickly for a few paces, and then again retreat ...

— The Rifle and The Hound in Ceylon • Samuel White Baker

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