lope

• POS: Noun, Verb (intransitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

lope, imp. 

 of Leap.  [1913 Webster]
"And, laughing, lope into a tree. Spenser."  [1913 Webster]

lope, v. i. [See Leap.].

•  To leap; to dance.  Middleton.  [1913 Webster]
•  To move with a leaping or bounding stride, as a horse.  [1913 Webster]
•  To run with an easy, bounding stride; -- of people.  [PJC]

lope, n. 

•  A leap; a long step.  [1913 Webster]
•  An easy gait, consisting of long running strides or leaps.  [1913 Webster]

  "The mustang goes rollicking ahead, with the eternal lope, . . . a mixture of two or three gaits, as easy as the motions of a cradle."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

lope, v. & n.
--v.intr. (esp. of animals) run with a long bounding stride.
--n. a long bounding stride.

Etymology

ME, var. of Sc. loup f. ON hlaupa LEAP

THESAURUS

lope

amble, bound, burst, burst of speed, canter, caracole, curvet, dash, dead run, dogtrot, flank speed, flat-out speed, forced draft, fox-trot, frisk, full gallop, gallop, get, git, go on horseback, hack, hand gallop, headlong rush, heavy right foot, high lope, hightail, hop, hop along, hotfoot, jog trot, leap, make tracks, maximum speed, mount, open throttle, pace, piaffe, plunge, prance, race, ride bareback, ride hard, romp, run, rush, scamper, scud, scurry, scuttle, skitter, spring, sprint, spurt, step, step along, step lively, take horse, tittup, trip, trot, wide-open speed