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. gāl wanton, wicked, OS. gēl merry, Goth. gailjan to make to rejoice, or perh. akin to E. weal. See Gala, Galloon. ] [ 1913 Webster ]
The town is built in a very gallant place. Evelyn. [ 1913 Webster ]
Our royal, good and gallant ship. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]
That gallant spirit hath aspired the clouds. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]
The gay, the wise, the gallant, and the grave. Waller.
a. Polite and attentive to ladies; courteous to women; chivalrous. [ 1913 Webster ]
n.
☞ In the first sense it is by some orthoëpists (as in Shakespeare) accented on the first syllable. [ 1913 Webster ]
v. t.
adv. In a polite or courtly manner; like a gallant or wooer. [ 1913 Webster ]
adv. In a gallant manner. [ 1913 Webster ]
n. The quality of being gallant. [ 1913 Webster ]
n.;
Guess the gallantry of our church by this . . . when the desk whereon the priest read was inlaid with plates of silver. Fuller. [ 1913 Webster ]
Helenus, Antenor, and all the gallantry of Troy. Shak.