Gal"lant (?), a. [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&?;l wanton, wicked, OS. g&?;l
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.
Gal*lant" (?; 277), a. Polite and
attentive to ladies; courteous to women; chivalrous.
Gal*lant" (?; 277), 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.
&fist; In the first sense it is by some orthoëpists (as in
Shakespeare) accented on the first syllable.
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.
