to dance
- verb
- /dæns/
- Light reflected from a revolving mirrored ball danced off them like photokinetic confetti.
- dance in front of
- begin to dance
The mind quickens, the shore creeps, some dance, others nap.
- The mind quickens, the shore creeps, some dance, others nap.
- Dreams of dialogues with dolphins danced in my Dome.
- Hysteresis, the puppet of his hand dances eulogies.
Examples
-
Yeah, guess I'm going to dance some tonight.
-
The children love to dance in the living room whenever their favorite song plays.
-
You were just, like, dancing like a wild man.
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Why is nobody dancing, yeah?
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I think we gotta dance.
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I mean, I came out here strictly to dance when I left school.
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I got to watch the boys and girls act silly and dance different dances from different eras.
Academic text (2013) -
Let's dance!
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As soon as the music started, everyone began to dance and enjoy the moment.
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She watched her friends dance happily at the wedding reception.
Synonyms
Dance energetically to lively upbeat music
To enjoy music and move your body to its rhythm
To dance with a partner in the Argentine style using close steps
To shake the body quickly from side to side as a dance move
Shake your hips and bottom in time with music, often while low in a squat
To move your body to music in a lively way
To dance with a lot of energy and have fun
To dance with four couples in a square led by a caller
To dance quickly with short jumps and kicks
To dance to lively music with a steady bass beat
To do energetic acrobatic street dance moves to hip-hop music
To dance in a lively way to music
To move the hips and stomach in a Middle Eastern dance
Dance quickly and happily to the beat of music
Move your feet in time with music as a dance
To perform a street dance with quick acrobatic moves to hip-hop music
To do energetic street dance moves with flips and spins
To dance slowly and smoothly while moving around a room
To move the feet to make a rhythm with small metal plates on special shoes
Antonyms
Idioms
- Informal
To spend a long time moving to music until very late at night
- Informal
To take a serious risk by doing something morally wrong to gain power or money
To take part in a traditional May Day dance in a circle around a tall decorated pole
Stay loyal to people or groups that supported you
- Informal
Move your body freely and confidently without worrying about other people
- Informal
Move your body freely and happily without worrying about being watched
Phrasal Verbs
Compounds
A formal activity where couples move together in set steps to music like the waltz
- UK
A traditional dance where people stamp loudly while wearing shoes with wooden soles
- Literature
An image showing death as a skeleton leading rich and poor people to the grave
- Literature
A religious dance from the late 1800s in which Native American people try to talk with spirits and find hope
- Literature
A special dance held in summer by some Native American tribes to honor the sun
A dance on stage with planned steps performed for an audience like ballet or modern dance
A traditional folk dance where couples stand in sets or lines and do the same steps to music
- US
A traditional dance by some Native American people to ask for rain and a good corn harvest
- Jargon
A low, energetic dance where people bend their knees and move their arms and legs widely, often at metal shows
- Specialized
A way of using dance and movement to help people feel better emotionally and physically
- Archaic
A fast, dramatic dance that shows a pretend struggle between a man and a woman
- UK
A traditional English group dance with dancers in costumes who use sticks, handkerchiefs, or bells
- Archaic
A traditional Indian dance performed by trained women dancers at festivals and social events
- Archaic
A condition that makes children have quick, uncontrolled body movements
A dance where dancers make rhythmic sounds by hitting the floor with metal plates on their shoes
- Jargon
A style of dancing where people bump into each other on purpose, usually at punk shows
- US
A sacred dance where people handle snakes as part of a ritual among some Native American groups
Music played to accompany square dancing, often with lively fiddle or banjo rhythms
- Archaic
A medical condition causing sudden uncontrolled movements in children often after rheumatic fever
How Lively
Surface Forms
Etymology
Dance comes from an old French word danser, and that word likely came from older words meaning 'to jump' or 'move quickly'. So think of light, quick movement when you see this verb meaning to move up and down or side to side.