Category:Gallant

Gal"lant, a. Etym: [F. gallant, prop. p. pr. of OF. galer to rejoice, akin to OF. gale amusement, It. gala ornament; of German origin; cf. OHG. geil merry, luxuriant, wanton, G. geil lascivious, akin to AS. g wanton, wicked, OS. g merry, Goth. gailjan to make to rejoice, or perh. akin to E. weal. See Gala, Galloon.]

1. Showy; splendid; magnificent; gay; well-dressed. The town is built in a very gallant place. Evelyn. Our royal, good and gallant ship. Shak.

2. Noble in bearing or spirit; brave; high-spirited; courageous; heroic; magnanimous; as, a gallant youth; a gallant officer. That gallant spirit hath aspired the clouds. Shak. The gay, the wise, the gallant, and the grave. Waller.

Syn. -- Gallant, Courageous, Brave. Courageous is generic, denoting an inward spirit which rises above fear; brave is more outward, marking a spirit which braves or defies danger; gallant rises still higher, denoting bravery on extraordinary occasions in a spirit of adventure. A courageous man is ready for battle; a brave man courts it; a gallant man dashes into the midst of the conflict.

gallant Gal*lant", a.

Defn: Polite and attentive to ladies; courteous to women; chivalrous.

gallant Gal*lant", n.

1. A man of mettle or spirit; a gay; fashionable man; a young blood. Shak.

2. One fond of paying attention to ladies.

3. One who wooes; a lover; a suitor; in a bad sense, a seducer. Addison.

Note: In the first sense it is by some orthoëpists (as in Shakespeare) accented on the first syllable.

gallant Gal*lant", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Gallanted; p. pr. & vb. n. Gallanting.]

1. To attend or wait on, as a lady; as, to gallant ladies to the play.

2. To handle with grace or in a modish manner; as, to gallant a fan. [Obs.] Addison.