also 4 -ende, 6 north. -and. [f. AMBLE v. + -ING2.]
1. Of a horse: Moving in an amble.
1393. Gower, Conf., II. 45. On faire amblende hors they set.
c. 1430. Syr Gener., 4031. Thei set him on an ambling palfray.
1535. Lyndesay, Sat., 3363. I let ȝow wit, I am na fuill … I ride vpon ane amland Muill.
1550. J. Coke, Debate (1877), 118. Ambelynge hackeneys, and hobbes plentie.
1598. Shaks., Merry W., II. ii. 320. I will rather trust … a Theefe to walke my ambling gelding then my wife with her selfe.
1751. Chambers, Cycl., s.v., The ambling horse changes sides at each remove.
1822. W. Irving, Braceb. Hall, xvi. 133. She rode her sleek ambling pony.
1836. Hor. Smith, Tin Trump., I. 28. To those elderly gentlemen … an ambling nag has always been an equestrian beatitude.
2. Hence, Moving with the gait or pace of an ambling horse, whether with regard to alternacy, smoothness or affectation.
1612. Drayton, Poly-olb., xiv. 228. The ambling Streame.
1704. Rowe, Ulysses, I. i. 308. Easie ambling Speeches.
1850. Blackie, Æschylus, I. Pref. 14. Our own Anapæstic verse … has … a light, ambling, unsteady air about it.
† 3. Walking. Obs.
1600. Fairfax, Tasso, IV. xxvii. 60. Of their night ambling dame, the Syrians prated.
