gait

Everyday

1. The way a person or animal walks or runs: the pattern and style of their steps. tree →
2. (horses) One of the ways a horse moves: walk, trot, canter or gallop. tree →

In the lessons

In science and PE, scientists and physiotherapists study gait to understand movement and injuries. In stories, a character's gait (limping, swaggering, shuffling) tells the reader about them. In horse riding, gaits are the different speeds. Phrases: «an uneven gait», «a slow gait», «gait analysis».

Examples

• The old man walked with a slow, shuffling gait. tree →
• You could tell it was Grandad by his gait. tree →
• A horse has four main gaits. tree →
• The injured dog had an uneven gait. tree →
• Her confident gait showed she wasn't scared. tree →
• The trainer filmed my gait to check my running shoes. tree →
• He was soon able to imitate the gait and manner of everyone in the street. tree →

Note

Countable. Homophone trap: «gait» (way of walking) sounds the same as «gate» (a door in a fence).