dance */*/*/

I UK [dɑːns] / US [dæns] verb
Word forms "dance":
present tense I/you/we/they dance he/she/it dances present participle dancing past tense danced past participle danced

1)

a) [intransitive] to move your feet and your body in a pattern of movements that follows the sound of music

I was too shy at first to ask her to dance.

dance with:

Who was that you were dancing with?

dance to:

They danced to the music of a 14-piece band.

dance together:

Lily and Charlie were still dancing together.

b) [transitive] to perform a particular type of dance

Two couples were left on the floor, dancing a waltz.

2) [intransitive] if a person or animal dances somewhere, they move there in a lively graceful way, usually because they are happy or full of energy

3) [intransitive] if something dances, it makes a series of quick light movements

Flames danced in the fireplace.

•

- dance attendance on someone

- dance the night away

II UK [dɑːns] / US [dæns] noun
Word forms "dance":
singular dance plural dances

1) [countable] a pattern of movements that you make with your feet and your body, following the sound of music

do a dance:

They did traditional Scottish dances.

2) [countable] music a piece of music written or played for people to dance to

Outside a band was playing the Cornish Floral Dance.

dance tunes

3) [countable] a social event where there is music for people to dance to

the school Christmas dance

4) [uncountable] the activity or job of dancing in order to entertain an audience

She teaches drama and dance.

a dance teacher/school/class

•

lead someone a (merry) dance — British to treat someone badly over a period of time, for example by making them do things that are not necessary or by telling them things that are not true

See:

song