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Glite Dictionary
longways dance

longways dance

9.7
A country dance with couples in two long lines facing each other
  • noun
  • UK
translation icon : danza en línea
  • At the festival, everyone joined in a traditional longways dance to celebrate the harvest.

Examples

  • The longways dance is a staple of English country dancing events.

  • Learning the steps of a longways dance can be challenging for beginners.

  • The couple performed a beautiful longways dance at the wedding.

  • Have you ever seen a longways dance before?

  • At the festival, everyone joined in a traditional longways dance to celebrate the harvest.

  • The longways dance is a staple of English country dancing events.

  • Learning the steps of a longways dance can be challenging for beginners.

Synonyms

country dancing
vslongways dance
  • UK
1 3.3

A traditional group dance where couples face each other in lines and do the same steps to folk music

is specifically the version arranged into two long facing lines
country-dance
vslongways dance
5.3

A traditional folk dance where couples stand in sets or lines and do the same steps to music

is the specific form using two long lines of facing couples
contradance
vslongways dance
  • US
9.5

A lively folk dance with couples in lines doing set steps

is narrower and formed as two long facing lines
Virginia reel
vslongways dance
  • US
9.1

A country dance where two lines of couples face each other and do lively steps

is the general two-line tradition not specific to America or extra lively

Surface Forms

longways dance singular
longways dances plural

Morphology

longways + dance

The meaning is directly built from 'longways' (lengthwise / in long lines) + 'dance' (a dance), so a learner who knows both words can infer it denotes a dance done in a lengthwise arrangement. While the precise historical/cultural details (two facing lines in country dance) may be unfamiliar, the core concept of a dance performed in long lines is transparently derivable from the constituents.

Etymology

Longways dance gets its name from how people stand: couples form two long ways facing each other. That's why it means a country dance where couples dance in long lines.