to move one's feet or body, or both, rhythmically in a pattern of steps, esp. to the accompaniment of music.
2.
to leap, skip, etc., as from excitement or emotion; move nimbly or quickly: to dance with joy.
3.
to bob up and down: The toy sailboats danced on the pond.
–verb (used with object)
4.
to perform or take part in (a dance): to dance a waltz.
5.
to cause to dance: He danced her around the ballroom.
6.
to cause to be in a specified condition by dancing: She danced her way to stardom.
–noun
7.
a successive group of rhythmical steps or bodily motions, or both, usually executed to music.
8.
an act or round of dancing; set: May I have this dance?
9.
the art of dancing: to study dance.
10.
a social gathering or party for dancing; ball: Was he invited to the dance?
11.
a piece of music suited in rhythm or style to a particular form of dancing: He liked the composer's country dances.
12.
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.
13.
the dance, ballet, interpretive dancing, and other dancing of an artistic nature performed by professional dancers before an audience.
dance to another tune, to change one's behavior, attitudes, etc.
[Origin: 1250–1300; (v.) ME da(u)ncen < AF dancer, dauncer, OF dancier, perh. < OHG *dansjan to lead (someone) to a dance; (n.) ME da(u)nce < AF; OF dance, deriv. of dancier]
c.1300, from O.Fr. dancier, perhaps from Frankish. A word of uncertain origin but which, through French influence in arts and society, has become the primary word for this activity from Spain to Russia. Replaced O.E. sealtian.
Dance\ (d[.a]ns), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Danced; p. pr. & vb. n. Dancing.] [F. danser, fr. OHG. dans[=o]n to draw; akin to dinsan to draw, Goth. apinsan, and prob. from the same root (meaning to stretch) as E. thin. See Thin.]1. To move with measured steps, or to a musical accompaniment; to go through, either alone or in company with others, with a regulated succession of movements, (commonly) to the sound of music; to trip or leap rhythmically. Jack shall pipe and Gill shall dance. --Wither. Good shepherd, what fair swain is this Which dances with your daughter? --Shak. 2. To move nimbly or merrily; to express pleasure by motion; to caper; to frisk; to skip about. Then, 'tis time to dance off. --Thackeray. More dances my rapt heart Than when I first my wedded mistress saw. --Shak. Shadows in the glassy waters dance. --Byron. Where rivulets dance their wayward round. --Wordsworth. To dance on a rope, or To dance on nothing, to be hanged.
Dance\, v. t. To cause to dance, or move nimbly or merrily about, or up and down; to dandle. To dance our ringlets to the whistling wind. --Shak. Thy grandsire loved thee well; Many a time he danced thee on his knee. --Shak. To dance attendance, to come and go obsequiously; to be or remain in waiting, at the beck and call of another, with a view to please or gain favor. A man of his place, and so near our favor, To dance attendance on their lordships' pleasure. --Shak.
Dance\, n. [F. danse, of German origin. See Dance, v. i.]1. The leaping, tripping, or measured stepping of one who dances; an amusement, in which the movements of the persons are regulated by art, in figures and in accord with music. 2. (Mus.) A tune by which dancing is regulated, as the minuet, the waltz, the cotillon, etc. Note: The word dance was used ironically, by the older writers, of many proceedings besides dancing. Of remedies of love she knew parchance For of that art she couth the olde dance. --Chaucer. Dance of Death (Art), an allegorical representation of the power of death over all, -- the old, the young, the high, and the low, being led by a dancing skeleton. Morris dance. See Morris. To lead one a dance, to cause one to go through a series of movements or experiences as if guided by a partner in a dance not understood.
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