lope
C1Literary, descriptive
Definition
Meaning
To run or move with a long, easy, bounding stride.
To proceed or travel at a steady, easy, unhurried pace, especially over a long distance.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Connotes ease, efficiency, and a relaxed power. Often used for animals (e.g., wolves, horses) but can be applied to humans in a metaphorical or descriptive sense.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in core meaning or usage. Possibly slightly more common in American English due to historical association with the frontier and horses.
Connotations
Both varieties share the connotations of a relaxed, ground-covering gait.
Frequency
Low frequency in both, but stable in literary and descriptive registers.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Subject] lopes[Subject] lopes [Prepositional Phrase (direction/location)][Subject] lopes [Adverbial (manner, e.g., easily, steadily)]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Lope off into the sunset (figurative, to depart successfully/easily)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Extremely rare. Potentially metaphorical: 'The company loped ahead of its competitors.'
Academic
Rare, except in literary analysis or descriptive biology/zoology texts.
Everyday
Uncommon. Used for specific descriptive effect, often about animals or athletic movement.
Technical
Used in equestrian contexts or wildlife observation to describe a specific gait.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The wolf loped effortlessly through the pine forest.
- He loped off towards the Tube station, his long coat flapping.
American English
- The mustang loped across the open prairie.
- She loped up to the porch, taking the steps two at a time.
adverb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adjective
British English
- N/A (The participial adjective 'loping' is used: 'a loping gait').
American English
- N/A (The participial adjective 'loping' is used: 'a loping stride').
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The dog loped beside its owner in the park.
- After the initial sprint, the marathon runner settled into a steady lope.
- We watched the deer lope gracefully into the woods.
- With the crisis averted, the negotiations loped towards a predictable conclusion.
- His loping walk made him seem perpetually relaxed, even when he was covering ground quickly.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a LOng-striding antelope or a wolf on the mOVE. LOng + mOVE = LOPE.
Conceptual Metaphor
PROGRESS IS EFFORTLESS MOVEMENT (e.g., 'The project loped towards completion.')
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Не путать с "leap" (прыгать) или "gallop" (скакать галопом). "Lope" - это именно длинный, размашистый, экономичный бег.
Common Mistakes
- Confusing it with 'elope' (to run away secretly to get married).
- Using it for short, hurried movement.
- Misspelling as 'loap' or 'lopes' (incorrect verb form).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the verb 'lope' LEAST appropriate?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. It specifies a *type* of running: long-striding, relaxed, efficient, and often steady. A sprint or a frantic run is not a lope.
Yes, but it's descriptive and often implies a gait reminiscent of an animal's easy run or a very tall person's stride. It's not used for ordinary jogging.
The noun is also 'lope' (e.g., 'He ran at a steady lope'). The present participle 'loping' is often used as an adjective (a loping walk).
These are specific gaits. For horses: a 'trot' is a two-beat gait, a 'canter' is a three-beat gait, and a 'lope' is a slow, relaxed canter (Western riding term). In general use for animals/humans, 'lope' is smoother and more bounding than a 'trot'.