Hypertext Webster Gateway: "gallant"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Gallant \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.
Note: In the first sense it is by some ortho["e]pists (as in
Shakespeare) accented on the first syllable.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Gallant \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}.
Usage: 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.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
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.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Gallant \Gal*lant"\ (?; 277), a.
Polite and attentive to ladies; courteous to women;
chivalrous.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
gallant
adj 1: unflinching in battle or action; "a gallant warrior"; "put
up a gallant resistance to the attackers"
2: lively and spirited; "a dashing hero" [syn: {dashing}]
3: having or displaying great dignity or nobility; "a gallant
pageant"; "lofty ships"; "majestic cities"; "proud alpine
peaks" [syn: {lofty}, {majestic}, {proud}]
4: having the qualities of gallantry attributed to an ideal
knight [syn: {chivalrous}, {knightly}]
n 1: a man who is much concerned with his dress and appearance
[syn: {dandy}, {dude}, {fop}, {sheik}, {beau}, {swell},
{fashion plate}, {clotheshorse}]
2: a man who attends or escorts a woman [syn: {squire}]
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