dance orchestra
1
3.2
- noun
- Archaic
:
orquesta de baile
- Guests enjoyed the evening as the dance orchestra performed energetic songs that kept the party going.
- dance orchestra plays
Examples
-
At the wedding, the dance orchestra created an exciting atmosphere with popular songs.
-
I could play in this awful dance orchestra in a hotel near Slough.
-
We could have our own great modern dance orchestra.
-
Due to these rules, a dance orchestra leader had found it necessary to dismiss three nonunion orchestra members and replace them with union musicians.
Academic text (1994) -
The dance orchestra played lively tunes that got everyone on the floor moving.
Synonyms
∞
1.0
A group of musicians who play together
184
3.4
A large group of musicians who play instruments together, like violins and trumpets
3
2.7
A group of musicians who play popular lively music for people to dance to
Antonyms
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'an orchestra that plays for dancing' follows directly from combining 'dance' (relating to dancing) with 'orchestra' (a musical ensemble); the compound clearly denotes an orchestra whose purpose is dance music. This compositional, cross-linguistically common pattern makes the phrase immediately interpretable by a B1 learner who knows both constituent words.
Etymology
The phrase dance orchestra comes from the simple image of an orchestra playing while people dance in a ballroom or dance hall. The word dance shows the purpose and orchestra shows the group of musicians, so the phrase means 'a band that plays popular music for dancing'.