Category:Dance

Dance, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Danced; p. pr. & vb. n. Dancing.] Etym: [F. danser, fr. OHG. dans 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. Wiher. Good shepherd, what fair swain is this Which dances with your dauther. 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 Dance, v. t.

Defn: 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 Dance, n. Etym: [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.)

Defn: 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 perchance 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.

---excerpt from the Illustrated Bible Dictionary.

Dance - Found in Judges 21:21, Judges 21:23; Psalms 30:11; Psalms 149:3; Psalms 150:4; Jeremiah 31:4, Jeremiah 31:13, etc., as the translation of hul, which points to the whirling motion of Oriental sacred dances. It is the rendering of a word (rakad) which means to skip or leap for joy, in Ecclesiastes 3:4; Job 21:11; Isaiah 13:21, etc. In the New Testament it is in like manner the translation of different Greek words, circular motion (Luke 15:25); leaping up and down in concert (Matthew 11:17), and by a single person (Matthew 14:6). It is spoken of as symbolical of rejoicing (Ecclesiastes 3:4. Compare Psalms 30:11; Matthew 11:17). The Hebrews had their sacred dances expressive of joy and thanksgiving, when the performers were usually females (Exodus 15:20; 1 Samuel 18:6). The ancient dance was very different from that common among Western nations. It was usually the part of the women only (Exodus 15:20; Judges 11:34; compare Exodus 5:1). Hence the peculiarity of David's conduct in dancing before the ark of the Lord (2 Samuel 6:14). The women took part in it with their timbrels. Michal should, in accordance with the example of Miriam and others, have herself led the female choir, instead of keeping aloof on the occasion and "looking through the window." David led the choir "uncovered", i.e., wearing only the ephod or linen tunic. He thought only of the honor of God, and forgot himself. From being reserved for occasions of religious worship and festivity, it came gradually to be practiced in common life on occasions of rejoicing (Jeremiah 31:4). The sexes among the Jews always danced separately. The daughter of Herodias danced alone (Matthew 14:6).