Gallant \Gal*lant"\ (?; 277), a.
   Polite and attentive to ladies; courteous to women;
   chivalrous.
   
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Gallant \Gal*lant"\ (?; 277), n.
   1. A man of mettle or spirit; a gay, fashionable man; a young
      blood. --Shak.
      
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   2. One fond of paying attention to ladies.
      
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   3. One who wooes; a lover; a suitor; in a bad sense, a
      seducer. --Addison.
      
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   Note: In the first sense it is by some ortho["e]pists (as in
         Shakespeare) accented on the first syllable.
         
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Gallant \Gal"lant\ (g[a^]l"lant), a. [F. gallant, prop. p. pr.
   of OF. galer to rejoice, akin to OF. gale amusement, It. gala
   ornament; of German origin; cf. OHG. geil merry, luxuriant,
   wanton, G. geil lascivious, akin to AS. g[=a]l wanton,
   wicked, OS. g[=e]l merry, Goth. gailjan to make to rejoice,
   or perh. akin to E. weal. See {Gala}, {Galloon}.]
   
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   1. Showy; splendid; magnificent; gay; well-dressed.
      
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            The town is built in a very gallant place. --Evelyn.
      
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            Our royal, good and gallant ship.     --Shak.
      
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   2. Noble in bearing or spirit; brave; high-spirited;
      courageous; heroic; magnanimous; as, a gallant youth; a
      gallant officer.
      
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            That gallant spirit hath aspired the clouds. --Shak.
      
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            The gay, the wise, the gallant, and the grave.
                                                  --Waller.

   Syn: {Gallant}, {Courageous}, {Brave}.

   Usage: Courageous is generic, denoting an inward spirit which
          rises above fear; brave is more outward, marking a
          spirit which braves or defies danger; gallant rises
          still higher, denoting bravery on extraordinary
          occasions in a spirit of adventure. A courageous man
          is ready for battle; a brave man courts it; a gallant
          man dashes into the midst of the conflict.
          
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Gallant \Gal*lant"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Gallanted}; p. pr. &
   vb. n. {Gallanting}.]
   1. To attend or wait on, as a lady; as, to gallant ladies to
      the play.
      
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   2. To handle with grace or in a modish manner; as, to gallant
      a fan. [Obs.] --Addison.
      
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