dance English · revision 3047

+ {{infobox|confidence=uncertain|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1300, Kyng Alisaunder}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /dɑːns/, US /dæns/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|dauncen]],^(MWU 2024)^(Etymonline) [[bor|fro|dancier]] (modern danser),^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) of unknown origin.^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986)^(NODE 1998) One suggestion is [[frk|*dintjan]], compare Middle Dutch deinsen “to shrink back” and Old Frisian dintje “to tremble”,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) on the theory that the Latin word for dancing was lost in France because of a church ban on dancing;^(Barnhart 1988) another is [[la-vul|*deantiāre]], from Late Latin deante “in front of”.^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) The noun is from Old French dance, from the verb.^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ To move the body rhythmically to music: about 1300,^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) probably before 1300 in ''Kyng Alisaunder'', where the noun daunce also appears.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Through French influence in the arts and in society, the word became the main word for this activity from Spain to Russia (Spanish danzar, German tanzen, Russian tancevat'),^(Etymonline) often for fashionable dancing beside an older native word for folk dancing.^(Etymonline) In English it replaced Old English sealtian, a borrowing of Latin saltāre “to dance”, as well as tumbian and hoppian.^(Etymonline) To leap or spring as an expression of emotion is from the late 14th century,^(Etymonline) a dancing party from about 1385,^(OED 1989) and a tune for dancing from the late 14th century.^(Etymonline) In Middle English ''the olde daunce'' was “the whole business”, and ''the daunce is don'' meant much what “the jig is up” means now.^(Etymonline) ''To lead someone a dance'' is from the 1520s.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) The ''dance of death'', a medieval image of Death leading people of every rank to the grave, is from about 1430.^(OED 1989)^(Cresswell 2021) ''Dance attendance'', from the early 16th century, described someone kept waiting in an antechamber, fidgeting as if dancing.^(Cresswell 2021) ''Dancer'' is from 1440, and earlier as the surname Dancere (1130).^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1300 – verb and noun.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1385 – a dancing party.^(OED 1989)

+ * late 14th century – a tune to dance to.^(Etymonline)

+ * c. 1430 – the dance of death.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1440 – ''dancer''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1520s – ''to lead someone a dance''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1823 – ''dance-hall''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To move the body in time to [[music]], with set or improvised steps.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # To perform (a particular dance).^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # To leap or skip about excitedly.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # To move quickly up and down or flicker: ''the light danced on the water''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # A series of steps and movements performed to music.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # A social gathering or [[party]] for dancing.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+ # A piece of music for dancing.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+ # The art of dancing: ''she studied dance''.^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[dancer]]

+ * [[dancingly]]

+ * [[danceable]]

+ * [[outdance]]

+ * [[undancing]]

+ * [[line dance]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[dancing]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ In Irish and Midland dialect ''to dance upon nothing'' or ''in the air'' was to be hanged.^(Wright 1898)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}