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CAVALIERNESS

 - 2 dictionary results

cav⋅a⋅lier

[kav-uh-leer, kav-uh-leer]
–noun
1. a horseman, esp. a mounted soldier; knight.
2. one having the spirit or bearing of a knight; a courtly gentleman; gallant.
3. a man escorting a woman or acting as her partner in dancing.
4. (initial capital letter) an adherent of Charles I of England in his contest with Parliament.
–adjective
5. haughty, disdainful, or supercilious: an arrogant and cavalier attitude toward others.
6. offhand or unceremonious: The very dignified officials were confused by his cavalier manner.
7. (initial capital letter) of or pertaining to the Cavaliers.
8. (initial capital letter) of, pertaining to, or characteristic of the Cavalier poets or their work.
–verb (used without object)
9. to play the cavalier.
10. to be haughty or domineering.

Origin:
1590–1600; < MF: horseman, knight < OIt cavaliere < OPr < LL caballārius man on horseback, equiv. to L caball(us) horse (cf. capercaillie ) + -ārius -ary


cav⋅a⋅lier⋅ism, cav⋅a⋅lier⋅ness, noun
cav⋅a⋅lier⋅ly, adverb


5. indifferent, offhand, uncaring, thoughtless, condescending.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Word Origin & History

cavalier 
1589, from It. cavalliere "mounted soldier, knight," from L.L. caballarius "horseman," from L. caballus "horse, a pack horse." Sense advanced in 17c. to "knight," then "courtly gentleman," which led to adj. "disdainful" (1657). Meaning "Royalist adherent of Charles I" is from 1641.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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