gambol n : gay or light-hearted recreational activity for diversion or amusement; "it was all done in play"; "their frolic in the surf threatened to become ugly" [syn: play, frolic, romp, caper] v : play boisterously; "The children frolicked in the garden"; "the gamboling lambs in the meadows"; "The toddlers romped in the playroom" [syn: frolic, lark, rollick, skylark, disport, sport, cavort, frisk, romp, run around, lark about] [also: gambolling, gambolled]

English

Pronunciation

• /ˈgæmbɒl/

Verb

1. To run and skip about playfully; to frolic.
   • 1949: George Orwell, Nineteen Eighty-Four, p22

     It was somehow slightly frightening, like the gambolling of tiger cubs which will soon grow up into man-eaters.

   • 1995: Neal Stephenson, The Diamond Age: or a Young Lady's Illustrated Primer pp. 286 (ISBN 0-553-38096-6)

     Three girls moved across the billiard-table lawn of a great manor house, circling and swarming about a common center of gravity like gamboling sparrows.

Noun

1. An instance of running or skipping about playfully.

antic, beam, bob, bounce, bound, caper, capriole, caracole, carol, carry on, cavort, chirp, chirrup, clap hands, curvet, cut a dido, cut capers, cut up, dance, delight, dido, disport, exult, falcade, flounce, fool around, frisk, frolic, gambade, gambado, glory, glow, horse around, joy, jubilate, jump about, lark, laugh, leap, let off steam, lilt, play, prance, radiate cheer, ramp, rejoice, revel, roister, rollick, romp, sing, skip, skip for joy, smile, sparkle, sport, spring, trip, whistle