From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
dance
n 1: an artistic form of nonverbal communication
2: a party of people assembled for dancing
3: taking a series of rhythmical steps (and movements) in time
to music [syn: dancing, dance, terpsichore,
saltation]
4: a party for social dancing
v 1: move in a graceful and rhythmical way; "The young girl
danced into the room"
2: move in a pattern; usually to musical accompaniment; do or
perform a dance; "My husband and I like to dance at home to
the radio" [syn: dance, trip the light fantastic, {trip
the light fantastic toe}]
3: skip, leap, or move up and down or sideways; "Dancing
flames"; "The children danced with joy"
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Dance \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.
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2. (Mus.) A tune by which dancing is regulated, as the
minuet, the waltz, the cotillon, etc.
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Note: The word dance was used ironically, by the older
writers, of many proceedings besides dancing.
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Of remedies of love she knew parchance
For of that art she couth the olde dance.
--Chaucer.
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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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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Dance \Dance\, v. t.
To cause to dance, or move nimbly or merrily about, or up and
down; to dandle.
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To dance our ringlets to the whistling wind. --Shak.
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Thy grandsire loved thee well;
Many a time he danced thee on his knee. --Shak.
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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.
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A man of his place, and so near our favor,
To dance attendance on their lordships' pleasure.
--Shak.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Dance \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.
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Jack shall pipe and Gill shall dance. --Wither.
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Good shepherd, what fair swain is this
Which dances with your daughter? --Shak.
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2. To move nimbly or merrily; to express pleasure by motion;
to caper; to frisk; to skip about.
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Then, 'tis time to dance off. --Thackeray.
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More dances my rapt heart
Than when I first my wedded mistress saw. --Shak.
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Shadows in the glassy waters dance. --Byron.
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Where rivulets dance their wayward round.
--Wordsworth.
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To dance on a rope, or To dance on nothing, to be hanged.
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