Cav`a*lier" (?), n. [F. cavalier, It. cavaliere, LL. caballarius, fr. L. caballus. See Cavalcade, and cf. Cavallier, Caballine.]
1.
A military man serving on horseback; a knight.
2.
A gay, sprightly, military man; hence, a gallant.
3.
One of the court party in the time of king Charles I. as contrasted with a Roundhead or an adherent of Parliament.
Clarendon.
4. Fort.
A work of more that ordinary height, rising from the level ground of a bastion, etc., and overlooking surrounding parts.
© Webster 1913.
Cav`a*lier", a.
Gay; easy; offhand; frank.
1.
The plodding, persevering scupulous accuracy of the one, and the easy, cavalier, verbal fluency of the other, from a complete contrast.
Hazlitt.
2.
High-spirited.
[Obs.]
"The people are naturally not valiant, and not much
cavalier."
Suckling.
3.
Supercilious; haughty; disdainful; curt; brusque.
4.
Of or pertaining to the party of King Charles I.
"An old
Cavalier family."
Beaconsfleld.
© Webster 1913.