Dance Definition

dăns

danced, dances, dancing

verb

danced, dances, dancing

To take part in or perform (a dance)

Webster's New World

To move the body and feet in rhythm, ordinarily to music.

Webster's New World

To perform a specialized set of movements to communicate chiefly with other members of the same species.

American Heritage

To move lightly and gaily; caper.

Webster's New World

To bob up and down.

Webster's New World

Synonyms:

Synonyms:
trip-the-light-fantastic-toe
trip-the-light-fantastic
vogue
boogie
foot it
rock
cut-a-rug
hoof-it
pirouette
shuffle the feet
execute the figures of
perform the steps of
whirl
glide
tread

Antonyms:

Antonyms:
sit
stand
perch

noun

dances

A series of motions and steps, such as the waltz or tango, usually performed to music.

American Heritage

Rhythmic movement of the body and feet, ordinarily to music.

Webster's New World

A particular kind of dance, as the waltz, tango, etc.

Webster's New World

One round of dancing at such a party.

Webster's New World

A party to which people come to dance.

Webster's New World

Synonyms:

idiom

dance attendance on

To attend to or try to please (someone) with eagerness or obsequiousness.

American Heritage

dance around

to avoid or evade (a question, concern, etc.); sidestep; dodge

Webster's New World

dance attendance on

to be always near so as to wait on, lavish attention on, etc.

Webster's New World

dance to another tune

to alter one's actions or opinions as a result of changed conditions

Webster's New World

Other Word Forms of Dance

Noun

Singular:

dance

Plural:

dances

Idioms, Phrasal Verbs Related to Dance

dance attendance on
dance around
dance attendance on
dance to another tune

Origin of Dance

Middle English daunsen, from Anglo-Norman dancer, dauncer (“to dance”) (compare Old French dancier), from Frankish *dansōn (“to draw, to pull, to gesture”) (compare Old High German dansōn (“to draw, pull”)), from Proto-Germanic *dansōną.

From Wiktionary
Middle English dauncen from Old French danser perhaps of Germanic origin

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition