The word stilted is an adjective. In this context, the word stilted is defined as the legs of the heron. The legs of a heron are very long and thin. They resemble stilts, as the name suggested. A dog which has a straight hock has a characteristic choppy, up and down gait which it walks with. This gait is referred to as a stilted gait.
A stilted gait is also defined as a stiff, jerking gait which is caused by the non-flexing joints of the body. When the behaviour of a person is artificial, artificially formal, stiffly formal or stiff, that person is said to be behaving in a stilted manner. A person who walks with stiff legs is said to possess a stilted gait.
The word stilted is also an architectural term. In architecture, the word stilted is used for an arch which has some vertical length between its impost and the beginning of its curve.
A stilted gait is also defined as a stiff, jerking gait which is caused by the non-flexing joints of the body. When the behaviour of a person is artificial, artificially formal, stiffly formal or stiff, that person is said to be behaving in a stilted manner. A person who walks with stiff legs is said to possess a stilted gait.
The word stilted is also an architectural term. In architecture, the word stilted is used for an arch which has some vertical length between its impost and the beginning of its curve.