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Glite Dictionary
🐎 A horse gait 🐎 To move smoothly
to canter

to canter

3 6.0
To move at a steady three-beat pace between a trot and a gallop
  • verb
  • /ˈkæntər/
  • Specialized
translation icon : galopear
  • The fog had lifted a bit, and I squinted to see two men on chestnut Quarter Horses cantering up the path toward us.
  • horse cantered
  • cantered away
  • cantered back

Examples

  • As the sun set, the horse cantered across the open field, kicking up clouds of dust.

  • Although the boy had flown into the lead, he kept watch on them and now cantered back, unable to resist a smile.

    Fiction book (1994)

  • Austin cantered around the arena and was pleased not to breathe in the familiar dust.

    Fiction book (2000)

  • From out of the cavalry column, half a dozen horsemen broke away and started to canter across the field in front of the peasant mob.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • "As he spurred his horse and cantered away, Lydia nearly screamed at him to stop.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • Moxica, mounted on his magnificent black stallion, canters to the edge of the deserted village and enters the village.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • Of course, the princess herself looked ahead with growing eagerness as their horses alternately cantered, trotted, and walked along the King's Road of Corwell.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • The rider gently squeezed the reins, and the horse cantered gracefully around the arena.

  • After warming up, she cantered with confidence along the tree-lined path.

Synonyms

cantering
vsto canter
  • Specialized
6.8

Moving on a horse at a smooth pace faster than a trot but slower than a gallop

has identical meaning but is the base verb form

Antonyms

stop
310 1.0

An act when something ends or pauses

Idioms

at a canter
  • UK
5.7

Quickly and easily, like a horse moving in a smooth, easy run

How Fast

to gallop
25 1.9
to canter
  • Specialized
3 6.0
trot
15 1.6
to walk
∞ 1.0
to amble
15 4.8

Surface Forms

canter infinitive
cantered past
cantered past participle
cantering present participle
canters third person singular

Etymology

To canter may come from the old word cantare meaning 'to sing', for the steady rhythm of a horse's steps, or from Canterbury and the 'Canterbury pace' used by pilgrims. So, to canter is to make a horse move in that smooth, three-beat way between a trot and a gallop.