To leap or spring with regular or irregular steps, as an expression of some emotion; move or act quiveringly from excitement: as, he danced with joy.To move nimbly or quickly with an irregular leaping motion; bound up and down: as, the blow he gave the table made the dishes dance; the mote dancing in the sunbeam.To move the body or the feet rhythmically to music, either by one's self or with a partner or in a set; perform the series of cadenced steps and rhythmic movements which constitute a dance; engage or take part in a dance.To give a dancing motion to; cause to move up and down with a jerky, irregular motion; dandle.To perform or take part in as a dancer; execute, or take part in executing, the cadenced steps or regulated movements which constitute (some particular dance): as, to dance a quadrille or a hornpipe.To lead or conduct with a tripping, dancing movement.n. A succession of more or less regularly ordered steps and movements of the body, commonly guided by the rhythmical intervals of a musical accompaniment; any leaping or gliding movement with more or less regular steps and turnings, expressive of or designed to awaken some emotion.n. A tune by which dancing is regulated, as the minuet, the waltz, the cotillion, etc.n. A dancing-party; a ball; a “hop.”n. Figuratively, progressive or strenuous movement of any kind; a striving or struggling motion: often used by old writers in a sarcastic sense, especially in the phrases the new daunce, the old daunce.In the West Indies, especially Trinidad, to clean and polish (cacao) by treading it with the naked feet. The friction caused by the treading removes the mildew from the outside of the beans and at the same time polishes them.
