Can″ter (kăn″tẽr), n. [An abbreviation of Canterbury. See Canterbury gallop, under Canterbury.] 1. A moderate and easy gallop adapted to pleasure riding.
☞ The canter is a thoroughly artificial pace, at first extremely tiring to the horse, and generally only to be produced in him by the restraint of a powerful bit, which compels him to throw a great part of his weight on his haunches... There is so great a variety in the mode adopted by different horses for performing the canter, that no single description will suffice, nor indeed is it easy... to define any one of them. J. H. Walsh.
2. A rapid or easy passing over.
A rapid canter in the Times over all the topics.
Sir J. Stephen.