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dance
[ dans, dahns ]
verb (used without object)
- to move one's feet or body, or both, rhythmically in a pattern of steps, especially to the accompaniment of music.
- to leap, skip, etc., as from excitement or emotion; move nimbly or quickly:
to dance with joy.
- to bob up and down:
The toy sailboats danced on the pond.
verb (used with object)
- to perform or take part in (a dance):
to dance a waltz.
- to cause to dance:
He danced her around the ballroom.
- to cause to be in a specified condition by dancing:
She danced her way to stardom.
noun
- a successive group of rhythmical steps or bodily motions, or both, usually executed to music.
- an act or round of dancing; set:
May I have this dance?
- the art of dancing:
to study dance.
- a social gathering or party for dancing; ball:
Was he invited to the dance?
- a piece of music suited in rhythm or style to a particular form of dancing:
He liked the composer's country dances.
- Animal Behavior. a stylized pattern of movements performed by an animal, as a bird in courtship display, or an insect, as a honeybee in indicating a source of nectar.
- the dance, ballet, interpretive dancing, and other dancing of an artistic nature performed by professional dancers before an audience.
dance
/ dɑːns /
verb
- intr to move the feet and body rhythmically, esp in time to music
- tr to perform (a particular dance)
- intr to skip or leap, as in joy, etc
- to move or cause to move in a light rhythmic way
- dance attendance on someoneto attend someone solicitously or obsequiously
noun
- a series of rhythmic steps and movements, usually in time to music Terpsichorean
- an act of dancing
- a social meeting arranged for dancing; ball
- ( as modifier )
a dance hall
- a piece of music in the rhythm of a particular dance form, such as a waltz
- short for dance music
- dancelike movements made by some insects and birds, esp as part of a behaviour pattern
- lead someone a dance informal.to cause someone continued worry and exasperation; play up
Derived Forms
- ˈdancing, nounadjective
- ˈdanceable, adjective
- ˈdancer, noun
Other Words From
- dancing·ly adverb
- anti·dancing adjective
- outdance verb (used with object) outdanced outdancing
- un·dancing adjective
- well-danced adjective
Word History and Origins
Origin of dance1
Word History and Origins
Origin of dance1
Idioms and Phrases
- dance on air, Slang. to be hanged.
- dance to another tune, to change one's behavior, attitudes, etc.
- dance attendance. attendance ( def 3 ).
More idioms and phrases containing dance
- lead a chase (dance)
- song and dance
Example Sentences
One could compare this annual little death dance to “Squid Game,” but I don’t think Netflix needs any more credit.
It was a ritual, almost pointless dance — except that it was disruptive and scary as hell.
The shift was explicit during last summer's riots following the horrific killing of three girls at a dance class in the north-west England town of Southport.
When Charli XCX recorded her sixth album, Brat, she thought her prickly, abrasive dance anthems were "not going to appeal to a lot of people".
My parents would have no idea what kind of unholiness was happening at these dances — young, impressionable girls screeching to Bieber.
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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