Etymology
From Middle English dauncen, daunsen, a borrowing from Anglo-Norman dauncer, dancer (to dance) (compare Old French dancier), from Frankish *þansōn (to draw, pull, stretch out, gesture) (compare Old High German dansōn (to draw, pull)), from Proto-West Germanic *þansōn, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *tens- (to stretch, pull). Replaced Old English sealtian (to dance) borrowed from Latin saltāre (to leap, dance).
Noun
dance (countable and uncountable, plural dances)
- A sequence of rhythmic steps or movements usually performed to music, for pleasure or as a form of social interaction.
- The Twist and the Dooley Walk were two of a long list of dances that emerged in the 1960s.
- A social gathering where dancing is the main activity.
- Hundreds of couples attended the Valentine's Day dance.
- (uncountable) The art, profession, and study of dancing.
- I'll see you after dance class.
- (uncountable) A genre of modern music characterised by sampled beats, repetitive rhythms and few lyrics.
- "Believe" by Cher was one of the biggest dance hits of the late 1990s and is still frequently heard over twenty years later.
- A piece of music with a particular dance rhythm.
- (figurative) A battle of wits, especially one commonly fought between two rivals.
- So how much longer are we gonna do this dance?
Derived terms
- barn dance
- belly dance
- break dance
- country dance
- dance floor
- dance hall
- dance music
- dance-off
- dancer
- dance school
- dance studio
- electronic dance music
- folk dance
- ice dance
- line dance
- rain dance
- slow dance
- square dance
- tap dance
- war dance
Verb
dance (third-person singular simple present dances, present participle dancing, simple past and past participle danced)
- To move with rhythmic steps or movements, especially in time to music.
- I danced with my wife all night long.
- To leap or move lightly and rapidly.
- His eyes danced with pleasure as he spoke.
- To perform the steps to.
- Have you ever danced the tango?
- To cause to dance, or move nimbly or merrily about.
Credits
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