gait
/ɡeɪt/ (bre, ipa) · /ɡeɪt/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈgāt/ (ame, mw)
gait — noun
- gaitsingular
- gaitsplural
1. the style or pattern of a person's footsteps, often reflecting their feelings, s
the style or pattern of a person's footsteps, often reflecting their feelings, state of health, or character
The old man's slow, shuffling gait made it clear that his knees were troubling him.
adjective + gait: slow, shuffling gait
Santiago walked with the confident gait of someone who knew exactly where he was going.
Linnea recognised her brother by his long, relaxed gait even from across the park.
After the accident, Amir developed an uneven gait that required him to use a walking stick.
文法句型
someone's gait
with a ... gait
用法筆記
Often modified by an adjective (slow, confident, steady, uneven) or a possessive (his gait, her gait). Frequently used in medical contexts to describe walking abnormalities.
常見錯誤
2. the distinctive sequence of foot placements made by a horse, dog, or other four-
the distinctive sequence of foot placements made by a horse, dog, or other four-legged creature when it moves at different speeds
The riding instructor taught Satoshi how to ask his horse to change from a walk to a trot.
change from [gait] to [gait]
At the dog show, the judge watched each animal's gait carefully to check its movement.
Hana's pony moved with a smooth, comfortable gait that made the ride feel effortless.
The horse broke into a canter, and Omar adjusted his position to match the new gait.
文法句型
in a ... gait
change gait
用法筆記
Subject is usually a horse, dog, or other four-legged animal. The four standard horse gaits are walk, trot, canter, and gallop. Also used in dog breeding and showing contexts.
常見錯誤
3. the distinctive rhythm, flow, or stylistic character of a piece of writing, musi
the distinctive rhythm, flow, or stylistic character of a piece of writing, music, or other creative work — for example, the gait of a poem describes how its metre and phrasing shape the reader's experience
The poem's slow, meditative gait perfectly matched the speaker's wistful mood.
the gait of a poem (rhythm/metre)
Theo admired the novel for the graceful gait of its prose, which shifted smoothly between humour and grief.
the gait of prose (stylistic character)
There was a musical gait to the way she told the story, with pauses that made each moment count.
The ceremony moved with the slow, deliberate gait of centuries-old tradition.
文法句型
the gait of [a poem/story/melody]
a ... gait
用法筆記
A literary extension of the physical meaning. Used to describe the pacing, rhythm, or stylistic character of creative works (poems, prose, music, performances). Not used in business or progress contexts — for that, use 'pace'.
常見錯誤
gait — verb
- gaitpresent simple I / you / we / they
- gaits3rd person singular
- gaiting-ing form
- gaitedpast simple
1. to teach a riding animal or show dog to adopt a specific sequence of foot placem
to teach a riding animal or show dog to adopt a specific sequence of foot placements when moving
The trainer spent six months gaiting the young horse so it would canter smoothly in shows.
Their hunting dogs were carefully gaited to work silently through the thick forest underbrush.
passive: be gaited to + infinitive
Santiago learned how to gait a show horse from his grandfather, who had trained animals for forty years.
文法句型
gait a horse/dog
be gaited to + infinitive
用法筆記
A technical term in animal training. Not used in everyday conversation about pet dogs or casual horse riding.
2. to guide a competition dog before an official so that its posture and style of w
to guide a competition dog before an official so that its posture and style of walking can be assessed
Amir gaited his Afghan hound gracefully around the ring while the judge took notes on its movement.
gait [dog] around the ring
In competitions, each handler must gait their dog in a straight line so the judge can see the animal's legs clearly.
Theo watched the experienced handler gait the golden retriever with such skill that the dog looked almost weightless.
文法句型
gait a dog
gait a dog before the judge
用法筆記
Extremely specialised — only used in the context of competitive dog shows. Most English speakers never encounter this verb in daily life.
3. to walk in a particular manner or style, especially one that is distinctive or n
to walk in a particular manner or style, especially one that is distinctive or noticeable
In the old tale, the mysterious knight gaited slowly into the hall, his armour gleaming in the torchlight.
gaited + adverb direction (literary use)
The archbishop gaited solemnly toward the altar, his robes sweeping the stone steps behind him.
The old farmer gaited through the tall grass with the knowing ease of a farmer who had walked that field a thousand times.
文法句型
gait + adverb phrase
用法筆記
This intransitive verb sense is extremely rare — the noun 'gait' is used thousands of times more frequently. It is confined to literary, archaic, or highly descriptive writing. Learners should avoid using 'gait' as a verb in speech or ordinary writing. The transitive verb senses (training animals or showing dogs) are the only verb uses that appear in modern English with any regularity.