cavalier

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cav·a·lier / ˌkavəˈli(ə)r/ • n. 1. (Cavalier) hist. a supporter of King Charles I in the English Civil War. ∎ archaic or poetic/lit. a courtly gentleman, esp. one acting as a lady's escort. ∎ archaic a horseman, esp. a cavalryman.2. (also Cavalier King Charles) a small spaniel of a breed with a moderately long, noncurly, silky coat.• adj. showing a lack of proper concern; offhand: Anne was irritated by his cavalier attitude.DERIVATIVES: cav·a·lier·ly adv.

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