single-foot, n. U.S.
[Cf. single v.1 9 b.]
A particular gait of a horse, variously identified with the amble and the rack; see also quot. 1882.
| 1882 Stillman Horse in Motion 117 Single-foot is an irregular pace,..distinguished by the posterior extremities, moving in the order of a fast walk and the anterior ones in that of a slow trot. 1893 Muybridge Descr. Zoopraxogr. 31 The amble has various local names, such as the ‘single foot’, the ‘fox trot’, etc. 1897 Howells Landl. at Lion's Head 154 This mare can walk like a Kentucky horse,..I believe I could teach her single-foot. |
So single-foot v., single-footed a., single-footer, single-footing ppl. a.
| a 1864 Single-footed [see single v.1 9 b]. 1890 Harper's Mag. Jan. 246 The horse often single-foots faster than he trots. Ibid., It is often said that a single-footing horse never trots well. Ibid. 247 My best single-footer is my fastest trotter. |