gambaden.
/ɡamˈbeɪd/, /ɡamˈbɑːd/, U.S. /ɡæmˈbeɪd/, /ɡæmˈbɑd/ Now archaic.
1.
a. A lively or playful skipping, leaping, or dancing movement; a caper; a gambol. Cf. gambado n.1 1a, gambol n. 1.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > upward movement > leaping, springing, or jumping > [noun] > capering > a caper
gambol1509
gamond?a1513
frisco?1520
frisk1525
friscal1570
caprettie?1578
career1587
stotc1590
lavoltaa1592
caper1592
gambado1618
prance1648
capriccio1665
gambade1803
caper-cut1875
1803 M. Edgeworth Let. 7 Jan. (1979) 69 An entertaining Ballet..in which..one man..brings the breakfast accompanied with the same gambades.
1821 W. Scott Kenilworth III. xiv. 275 The chieftain..kissed the hilt of his sword to the Queen, and executed at the same time a gambade.
1882 Tit-bits 4 Mar. 7/1 Dancing, of course, with the newest gambades, The Polish mazurka, and best galopades.
1933 Times 9 Mar. 15/6 The deeply humorous rollickings of young pigs, even the ungainly gambades of calves are all care-free expositions of mere happiness in a good world.
1977 R. H. Mayer Gentleman by Act Congr. ii. 32 Roguishly swinging their hips, cutting a gambade, snapping their fingers and stamping their feet.
b. An energetic or exaggerated leap or bound made by a horse. Cf. gambado n.1 1b.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > mammals > group Ungulata (hoofed) > family Equidae (general equines) > habits and actions of horse > [noun] > leap
gambolc1503
gambado1820
gambade1823
caper1856
tittup1868
1823 W. Scott Quentin Durward I. ix. 230 Each fresh gambade of his unmanageable horse placed him in a new and more precarious attitude.
1834 Tait's Edinb. Mag. New Ser. 1 850 [He] gallops his Pegasus at such a fiery-footed pace, and makes so many strange gambades, curvets, and caracoles.
1891 A. Conan Doyle White Company II. xxiii. 234 He cantered slowly forward, with none of those prancings and gambades with which a cavalier was accustomed to show his command over his charger.
1915 M. Cunliffe-Owen Moonglade xx. 304 With extreme aptness ‘Narses’ shied at a rabbit frolicking in the lush grass, and indulged in a series of risky gambades.
2002 R. E. Howard Coming of Conan the Cimmerian (2003) 167 The tall horses of the cavalry seemed hard and savage as their riders; they made no curvets or gambades.
2. figurative. A prank, a jape; a caper, an escapade.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > entertainment > frolicking or romping > [noun] > a frolic
oliprancec1390
ragerya1393
vague1523
rex1566
friskin1570
gambol1573
reak1573
prank1576
vagary1588
whirligig1589
caper1592
prinkum-prankum1596
firk1611
frolica1635
carryings-on1663
ramp1696
romp1713
freak1724
scheme1758
rig1782
lark1811
escapade1814
gammock1819
gambade1821
enfantillage1827
game1828
shines1830
rollick1834
rusty1835
high jinksa1845
escapado1849
shenanigan1855
rum-tum1876
panta1901
gas1914
1821 W. Scott Let. 15 Feb. (1934) VI. 355 You must lay aside your frolics and gambades and take a manful journey-pace for a little while at least.
1825 W. Scott Jrnl. 27 Nov. (1939) 18 To Southey I wrote..touching..on..his innocence as to those gambades which may have offended..Southey.
1826 Mem. Margravine of Anspach I. viii. 304 A surprising pantomimic spectacle which would decide the fate of the universe in gambades.
1914 M. N. Murfree Story of Duciehurst xxiii. 370 He had often taken part in this gambade, a favorite bit of fooling since their infancy.
1987 G. Wolfe Urth of New Sun xli. 291 A thousand memories of gambades and trysts.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2013; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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