waltz English · revision 1042

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /wɒlts/, /wɔːlts/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|de|Walzer]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) from ''walzen'' “to roll, to dance”,^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) [[der|goh|walzan|t=to turn, roll]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) from the Proto-Indo-European root ''*wel-'' “to turn, revolve”.^(AHD)^(Etymonline) Random House explains the English word as a back-formation, ''Walzer'' being taken as ''walz'' plus the suffix ''-er''.^(RHWU) It is related to [[welter]].^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) Weekley mentions a view connecting it with French ''volte'', a popular earlier dance.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A dance in triple time by couples who turn round and round together (1781);^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate) Etymonline cites ''walse'' from 1779 in a translation of Goethe's ''Werther''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The waltz was extremely fashionable from the late 18th to the late 19th century,^(Etymonline) though it was at first thought indecent because partners embraced as they danced.^(Etymonline) The word was used for a piece of music for the dance from 1816.^(OED 1989) The verb, “to dance a waltz”, appeared about 1794,^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate) and was extended to moving nimbly, then to moving boldly or unconcernedly, as in ''waltz in'' (1862).^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) In 20th-century slang a ''waltz'' is something done with ease (1968).^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1779 – ''walse'' in a translation of ''Werther''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1781 – the dance.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate)

+ * c. 1794 – verb, to dance a waltz.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate)

+ * 1816 – music for the dance.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1862 – to move lightly or boldly.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1968 – slang, something accomplished with ease.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[ballroom]] dance in [[triple time]] with a strong accent on the first beat, in which couples turn continuously.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A piece of music for this dance, or a concert composition in triple time.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(informal)'' Something done with little effort; an easy victory.^(AHD)^(RHWU)^(OED 1989)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To dance the waltz, or to dance the waltz with (someone).^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To move briskly and confidently, especially casually or uninvited.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To accomplish something with little effort, often with ''through''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To lead or force (someone) to move briskly; to march.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[waltzer]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[welter]]

+ * [[volte]]

+ * [[minuet]]

+ * [[polka]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}