Also 6 cavalgada, 7 cavalcado, cavalcata, cavelcade, (8 erron. calvacade). [a. F. cavalcade (16th c. in Littré), ad. Pr. cavalcada or It. cavalcata (= Sp. cabalgada, Pg. cavalgata), f. cavalcar:—late L. caballicāre to ride on horseback, f. caballus horse: see -ADE. The native F. form of the word was chevauchée, whence also ME. CHIVACHIE.]
† 1. A ride, a march or raid on horseback. Obs.
1591. Unton, Corr. (1847), 257. I am nowe attendinge uppon the Kinge in this cavalcade he maketh towards the Duke of Parma.
1598. Barret, Theor. Warres, V. i. 141. To make Caualgadas, or great marches, for any sudden surprisall.
1604. Jas. I., Counterbl. (Arb.), 110. To make some sudden Caualcado vpon your enemies.
1647. Clarendon, Hist. Reb., VII. II. 215. He had with some Troops, made a Cavalcade or two into the West.
fig. 1697. Snake in Grass (ed. 2), 289. Being thrown into Gaol for that his Blasphemous Cavelcade.
2. A procession on horseback, esp. on a festive or solemn occasion. Also loosely used for a procession of carriages. arch. or ? Obs.
1644. Evelyn, Mem. (1857), I. 102. Desirous of being present at the cavalcade of the new Pope.
1683. Brit. Spec., 260. His Majesty … made a glorious and splendid Cavalcade from the Tower to Westminster.
1687. Lond. Gaz., No. 2250/3. Cardinal Medici made a Cavalcata … wherein he was Accompanied by 14 of the Sacred Colledge on Mules.
1762–71. H. Walpole, Vertue’s Anecd. Paint. (1786), III. 97. The king’s cavalcade through the gates of the city the day before his coronation.
3. concr. A company of riders on the march or in procession.
a. 1700. Dryden, Pal. & Arc., III. 540. The following cavalcade … Proceed by titles marshal’d in degree.
1703–14. Sc. Pasquils (1868), 347. He and his noble Cavalcade design To right their native Country.
1786. trans. Beckford’s Vathek (1868), 25. The cavalcade set forward.
1852. Miss Yonge, Cameos (1871), II. xix. 206. From Chester the Cavalcade set out for London.
1869. Hook, Lives Abps., II. ii. 93. He evidently expected to meet a large cavalcade.
4. transf. and fig. ‘Procession.’
1670. Caveat to Conventiclers, 8–9. I desired him to raise this Devil before me; which he courteously did, together with the whole procession of the Cavalcade.
1708. Motteux, Rabelais, IV. xiii. He made a Cavalcade of his Devils … through the Town.
1855. J. D. Forbes, Tour Mt. Blanc, 117. The cows were taken to the valley … and I regretted extremely that I missed the opportunity of witnessing so singular a cavalcade.
