rhizoverbBeta
DictionarylopeRelaxed bounding gait
verb / noun

lope

LOHP/lˈoʊp/

An easy run with long, relaxed strides.

The dog lopes beside me as I run through the park.

A long-legged dog runs with loose relaxed strides across grass, all four limbs natural.
Etymology
lopeOld Norseto run, leap, spring up

Old Norse hlaupa combined running with leaping or springing. English lope first meant to leap or jump, then came to describe running with long strides, retaining the image of bounding movement.

In context

Herm Gailey: A Lifetime with Horses1:58
she got him really does not like to lope under saddle what he has done in the past is he will either just extend the trot endlessly and refuse to lope
Scenes from a Clinic: Helping a Horse Who Refuses to Lope - Episode 17 (Herm Gailey)

More examples

  • She settles into an easy lope along the trail.
  • The horse loped across the pasture, taking long, relaxed strides.
  • We watch a coyote loping across the field.

Forms

lope · lopes · loped · loping

Similar words

jog
An easy run, usually with shorter strides than a lope.
bound
Emphasizes springing leaps rather than an easy, relaxed run.