Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Gallant \Gal*lant"\ (?; 277), n.
   1. A man of mettle or spirit; a gay; fashionable man; a young
      blood. --Shak.

   2. One fond of paying attention to ladies.

   3. One who wooes; a lover; a suitor; in a bad sense, a
      seducer. --Addison.

   Note: In the first sense it is by some ortho["e]pists (as in
         Shakespeare) accented on the first syllable.

Gallant \Gal"lant\, a. [F. gallant, prop. p. pr. of OF. galer to
   rejoice, akin to OF. gale amusement, It. gala ornament; of
   German origin; cf. OHG. geil merry, luxuriant, wanton, G.
   geil lascivious, akin to AS. g?l wanton, wicked, OS. g?l
   merry, Goth. gailjan to make to rejoice, or perh. akin to E.
   weal. See {Gala}, {Galloon}.]
   1. Showy; splendid; magnificent; gay; well-dressed.

            The town is built in a very gallant place. --Evelyn.

            Our royal, good and gallant ship.     --Shak.

   2. Noble in bearing or spirit; brave; high-spirited;
      courageous; heroic; magnanimous; as, a gallant youth; a
      gallant officer.

            That gallant spirit hath aspired the clouds. --Shak.

            The gay, the wise, the gallant, and the grave.
                                                  --Waller.

   Syn: {Gallant}, {Courageous}, {Brave}.

   Usage: Courageous is generic, denoting an inward spirit which
          rises above fear; brave is more outward, marking a
          spirit which braves or defies danger; gallant rises
          still higher, denoting bravery on extraordinary
          occasions in a spirit of adventure. A courageous man
          is ready for battle; a brave man courts it; a gallant
          man dashes into the midst of the conflict.

Gallant \Gal*lant"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Gallanted}; p. pr. &
   vb. n. {Gallanting}.]
   1. To attend or wait on, as a lady; as, to gallant ladies to
      the play.

   2. To handle with grace or in a modish manner; as, to gallant
      a fan. [Obs.] --Addison.

Gallant \Gal*lant"\ (?; 277), a.
   Polite and attentive to ladies; courteous to women;
   chivalrous.

Source : WordNet®

gallant
     adj 1: unflinching in battle or action; "a gallant warrior"; "put
            up a gallant resistance to the attackers"
     2: lively and spirited; "a dashing hero" [syn: {dashing}]
     3: having or displaying great dignity or nobility; "a gallant
        pageant"; "lofty ships"; "majestic cities"; "proud alpine
        peaks" [syn: {lofty}, {majestic}, {proud}]
     4: having the qualities of gallantry attributed to an ideal
        knight [syn: {chivalrous}, {knightly}]

gallant
     n 1: a man who is much concerned with his dress and appearance
          [syn: {dandy}, {dude}, {fop}, {sheik}, {beau}, {swell},
          {fashion plate}, {clotheshorse}]
     2: a man who attends or escorts a woman [syn: {squire}]