gallant

Everyday

1. Brave, especially in a fine, noble way: a gallant knight. tree →
2. (of a man, old-fashioned) Very polite and kind to women. tree →
3. (old) Grand and splendid to look at: a gallant ship. tree →
4. (noun, old) a fashionable young man. tree →

In the lessons

Found in stories of knights, soldiers and heroes, and in history. «A gallant effort» means a brave try, even if it failed — common in sports reports. In The Wind in the Willows the friends make a gallant attack to win back Toad Hall from the weasels.

Examples

• The gallant knight rode to save the village. tree →
• The team made a gallant effort but lost. tree →
• He held the door open in a gallant way. tree →
• The four friends made a gallant charge into Toad Hall. tree →
• The gallant soldiers did not run away. tree →
• Toad imagined himself as a gallant hero. tree →
• A gallant ship sailed into the harbour. tree →

Note

Say «GAL-ant» for brave; «ga-LANT» sometimes for the polite-to-women sense (old). Noun: gallantry (bravery). Adverb: gallantly.

In Jewish tradition

Isaiah means a splendid, grand ship. It is used in a promise that no enemy ships will come against Jerusalem.

Interpretation. The commentators read this as a promise that God himself will protect Zion, so that no foe can attack it.

Examples

• But there the LORD will be with us in majesty, in a place of broad rivers and streams; wherein shall go no galley with oars, neither shall gallant ship pass thereby. (Prophets ISA.33.21, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

Say «GAL-ant» for brave; «ga-LANT» sometimes for the polite-to-women sense (old). Noun: gallantry (bravery). Adverb: gallantly.