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. gl wanton, wicked, OS. gl 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.
© Webster 1913.
Gal*lant" Polite and attentive to ladies; courteous to women; chivalrous.
© Webster 1913.
Gal*lant" 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.
⇒ In the first sense it is by some orthoepists (as in Shakespeare) accented on the first syllable.
© Webster 1913.
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.
© Webster 1913. | 
