different between gallop vs purr

English

Etymology

From Middle English galopen (“to gallop”), from Old French galoper (compare modern French galoper), from Frankish *wala hlaupan (“to run well”), from *wala (“well”) + *hlaupan (“to run”), from Proto-Germanic *hlaupan? (“to run, leap, spring”), from Proto-Indo-European *klaup-, *klaub- (“to spring, stumble”). Possibly also derived from a deverbal of Frankish *walhlaup (“battle run”) from *wal (“battlefield”) from a Proto-Germanic word meaning "dead, victim, slain" from Proto-Indo-European *wel- (“death in battle, killed in battle”) + *hlaup (“course, track”) from *hlaupan (“to run”). More at well, leap, valkyrie. See also the doublet wallop, coming from the same source through an Old Northern French variant.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??æl?p/
• Homophone: Gallup

Noun

gallop (plural gallops)

1. The fastest gait of a horse, a two-beat stride during which all four legs are off the ground simultaneously.
2. An abnormal rhythm of the heart, made up of three or four sounds, like a horse's gallop.

Derived terms

• Gish gallop

Translations

Verb

gallop (third-person singular simple present gallops, present participle galloping, simple past and past participle galloped)

1. (intransitive, of a horse, etc) To run at a gallop.

2. (intransitive) To ride at a galloping pace.
   • a. 1631, John Donne, Epithalamion Made at Lincoln's Inn

     Gallop lively down the western hill.

3. (transitive) To cause to gallop.

4. (transitive, intransitive) To make electrical or other utility lines sway and/or move up and down violently, usually due to a combination of high winds and ice accrual on the lines.
5. (intransitive) To run very fast.
6. (figuratively, intransitive) To go rapidly or carelessly, as in making a hasty examination.

   • Such superficial ideas he may collect in galloping over it.

   • 1847, Anne Brontë, Agnes Grey

     Soon after breakfast Miss Matilda, having galloped and blundered through a few unprofitable lessons, and vengeably thumped the piano for an hour, in a terrible humour with both me and it, because her mama would not give her a holiday, […]

7. (intransitive, of an infection, especially pneumonia) To progress rapidly through the body.

Translations

English

Etymology

Onomatopoeic.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /p??(?)/
• Rhymes: -??(?)
• Homophone: per

Verb

purr (third-person singular simple present purrs, present participle purring, simple past and past participle purred)

1. (intransitive) Of a cat, to make a vibrating sound in its throat when contented.
2. (transitive) To say (something) in a throaty, seductive manner.
   • 2008, C. E. Osborne, Black Gold Death in the Sun (page 12)

     "This is Cindy," she purred again, flashing a smile of perfect white teeth surrounded by full red lips.

3. (intransitive) To make a vibrating throaty sound, as from pleasure.

   He purred like a kitten when she massaged his neck.

4. (intransitive, of an engine) To make a low and consistent rumbling sound.
   • 2001, E. C. Craver, Last Reunion (page 159)

     Beverly passed the city limits sign with the Porsche's motor purring contentedly after its two hundred and fifty-mile romp.

Derived terms

• purrer

Translations

Noun

purr (plural purrs)

1. The vibrating sound made by a cat in its throat when contented.
   • 1918, Sarath Kumar Ghosh, The wonders of the jungle - Volume 2 (page 113)

     Instead, the tiger looked around, and gave a purr, and then a growl. What did that mean? The man could not tell. Then the tiger just flung upon the man some of the sand from the side of the hollow.

2. A throaty, seductive sound of pleasure made by a person.
   • 2006, Brenda Williamson, Wolverton Blood (page 53)

     The trill of her purr echoed inside his mouth when he kissed her again. Clutching at his shirt, her fingers traveled the muscles in his back.

3. The low consistent rumble made by an engine at slow speed
   • 1997, Susan Wood, A Fly in Amber (page 191)

     I sat still in the car and listened to the soft purr of the engine and my beating heart. Then slowly, and as silently as possible, I drove the car back to camp.

Derived terms

• purrlike

Translations

Interjection

purr

1. Throat vibrating sound made by a cat.

Translations

See also

• meow

Anagrams

• RURP