gallop

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
gallop/ˈɡaləp/

▶noun

• 1 the fastest pace of a horse or other quadruped, with all the feet off the ground together in each stride.

  ■ a ride on a horse at a gallop.

• 2 Brit. a track where horses are exercised at a gallop.

▶verb (gallops, galloping, galloped)

• 1 go or cause to go at a gallop.

• 2 proceed at great speed: he galloped through the service.

  ■ (often as adj. galloping) progress in a rapid and seemingly uncontrollable manner.

– derivatives
galloper noun.

– origin C16: from OFr. galop (n.), galoper (v.), vars of Old North. Fr. walop, waloper (see wallop).