caracole

[ kar-uh-kohl ]
/ ˈkær əˌkoʊl /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR caracole ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a half turn executed by a horse and rider.
Rare. a winding staircase.

verb (used without object), car·a·coled, car·a·col·ing.

to execute caracoles; wheel.

Origin of caracole

1650–60; < French < Spanish caracol snail, spiral shell or stair, turning movement (of a horse)

OTHER WORDS FROM caracole

car·a·col·er, noun

Words nearby caracole

caracalla, caracara, caracas, carack, caracol, caracole, caractacus, caracul, carafe, caragana, carageen

Words related to caracole

gambol, romp, caper, play, rollick, dance, roughhouse, revel, frisk, sport, horseplay

Example sentences from the Web for caracole

  • When she found herself alone, she let her pony prance and caracole under a great pear-tree, and inwardly chafed against Anton.

    Debit and Credit |Gustav Freytag

  • The horse of one of these cavaliers made a caracole which brought it nearly upon Alain as he was about to cross.

    The Parisians, Complete |Edward Bulwer-Lytton

British Dictionary definitions for caracole

caracole

caracol (ˈkærəˌkɒl)

/ (ˈkærəˌkəʊl) /

noun

dressage a half turn to the right or left
a spiral staircase

verb (intr)

dressage to execute a half turn to the right or left

Word Origin for caracole

C17: from French, from Spanish caracol snail, spiral staircase, turn