dance

Meanings

Noun

• A sequence of rhythmic steps or movements usually performed to music, for pleasure or as a form of social interaction.
• A social gathering where dancing is the main activity.
• The art, profession, and study of dancing.
• A genre of modern music characterised by sampled beats, repetitive rhythms and few lyrics.
• A piece of music with a particular dance rhythm.
• A battle of wits, especially one commonly fought between two rivals.
• Any strenuous or difficult movement, action, or task.
• A normally horizontal stripe called a fess that has been modified to zig-zag across the center of a coat of arms from dexter to sinister.

Verb

• To move with rhythmic steps or movements, especially in time to music.
• To leap or move lightly and rapidly.
• To perform the steps to.
• To cause to dance, or move nimbly or merrily about.
• To make love or have sex.

Related

Similar words

• throw shapes

Origin

• From Middle English dauncen, daunsen, a borrowing from Anglo-Norman dauncer, dancer (compare Old French dancier), from Frankish *þansōn (compare Old High German dansōn), from Proto-West Germanic *þansōn, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *tens- ("to stretch, pull"). Replaced Old English sealtian borrowed from Latin saltō. More at thin.