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capriole

/ˌkæpriˈoʊl/
IPA guide

Other forms: caprioles; caprioling

A capriole is a playful jump or leap. In dressage, it's an advanced leap that a highly trained horse performs.

While performing a capriole, a horse jumps straight up into the air, pulling its front legs in toward its chest, and kicking its back legs out parallel to the ground. This classical — and very impressive! — equestrian feat probably evolved from techniques that warhorses were trained to do in medieval times. The word capriole comes from the Italian word capriolare, which means "to leap like a goat." It is often used to describe leaping about joyfully, as a child or a young goat might do. In ballet, a graceful, leaping capriole — more often spelled as cabriole — is an energetic, kicking leap.

Definitions of capriole
  1. noun
    a playful leap or hop
    synonyms: caper
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    type of:
    bounce, bound, leap, leaping, saltation, spring
    a light, self-propelled movement upwards or forwards
  2. noun
    (dressage) a vertical jump of a trained horse with a kick of the hind legs at the top of the jump
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    type of:
    jump, jumping
    the act of jumping; propelling yourself off the ground
  3. verb
    perform a capriole, in ballet
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    type of:
    dance
    move in a graceful and rhythmical way
  4. verb
    perform a capriole, of horses in dressage
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    type of:
    bound, jump, leap, spring
    move forward by leaps and bounds
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