dance 
Dance of death, in '<//'/"//,/ /mi '</.< .mil </,,., ;i Mil, 
ject illustrative i>l tin- mmersal pouer ..I death, in which 
a skeletuli to ;i ll_illi I c pn sent ill;- death in a prominent 
feature, very frei|iientl> met uith in am ii nt buildings, 
stained glass, anil decurati'.ti- ot manusi ripts. Dance 
Upon nothing, u euphemism lor ln'in^ handed, 
.lii-l as the felon, eunilenme.il to die, . . . 
From his yloomy cell in a vision el..|.es. 
To eaprf mi siinny mvens ami slopes, 
Instead ot tin- </"</<< /'/"'" <i"tln'l. 
It /. M i-s Kilmaiisegg. 
St. Vitus's dance, chorea. To lead one a dance, tig- 
urativch. lo leail one liitlier anil* thither in a perplexing 
wuy ulnl with him! disappointment ; delude, as \\ith false 
hopes ; put one t'l much trouble. 
Von know very well my passion for Mrs. Martha, and 
what ilit/in' she has /fit me. .!</'/ /.vim, I lemniTers in l,u\e. 
To lead the dance, to take the lead. 
Ill fcclc (many] Inyscllcncs sehe Inakitll to flllle, 
I II al -surowe sehe dootli UK- ilinturi' '.--v'i . 
Ililniiu I: \',f,:in, etc. (K. JB. T. .), p. 93. 
dance-music (dans ' mu * zik), . 1. Music 
rhythmically fitted and specially intended as 
an !iccii]ii]iaiiiment for dancing. 2. Music 
rhythmically suitable for dancing, but not set 
to any particular kind of dance, as the mazur- 
kas of Chopin. 
dancer (dan'ser), . [Early mod. E. dauitcer, < 
ME. dauneere (= D. dunser = MHG. t<in~er, ten- 
ser, Q. tamer = Dan. danser = Sw. dansare) ; < 
diiiK'e, v., + -!.] 1. One who dances, or takes 
part iu a dance ; specifically, one who practises 
dancing as a profession, us on the stage. 
Anil aftyr that ther earn Ihiiutcen and some of them 
Disgysyd in women clothes that Daunsyd a gret while. 
Tiirkiitytiin, Diarie of tog, Travel!, p. 13. 
2. [c/>.] Eecles., one of a sect of enthusiasts 
wlio appeared in Europe on the lower Rhine 
in 1374, first at Aix-la-Chapelle, and indulged 
in wild dances in honor of St. John, but pro- 
fessed no definite tenets. The sect disappeared 
almost entirely within twenty-five years. 3. 
1>I. Stairs. [Thieves' slang.] 
Come, my Hebe, track the dancer*, that is, go up the 
stairs. Bulvxr, What will he do with if.' iii. If.. 
Merry dancers, H name given In northern countries to 
the aurora. 
In Shetland, where they [auroras] are very frequent, 
and in the north of Scotland, they are known as the merry 
dancers (perhaps the ancient capra) salt anl es). 
Enayc. Brit., III. 90. 
Some of our [auroral] displays were grand and magnifi- 
cent in the extreme, hut in general they were lances of 
white light, having perhaps a faint tinge of golden or cit- 
ron color, which appeared as moving shafts or spears un- 
der the formation known as mm </ 'Initcera. 
A. W. Ureely, Arctic Service, p. 158. 
danceress (dan'ser-es), . [< ME. daunccrexsc 
(= D. diinscres) ; < dancer + -exs.] A female 
dancer. [Rare.] 
What doth this danceress? She most impudently uncov- 
ers her head. Prynne, Uistrio-Mastix, vi. 12. 
dancette (dau-sef), >i. [F. (in her.), irreg. and 
ult. < L. den(t-)n (> OF. dent, dant) = E. tooth, 
q. v. Cf. danche.~\ 1. In her., a fesse dancetti? 
on botli sides, so that it is practically reduced 
to a row of fusils. 2. In arch., the chevron or 
Dancette. West door. Cathedral of Lincoln, England. 
zigzag molding frequent in medieval buildings, 
particularly in the Romanesque style, 
dancette (dun-set-d'), a. [As ilnnnitr + -e. 
( '(. diinchi':'} In lit r. , having the edge or outline 
broken into large and wide zig- 
zags: same as indented, except 
that the notches are deeper aud 
wider. Thus, a fesse ilam-ette 
has each of its edges broken 
into three or four large teeth 
or zigzags. -Dancett^ couped, in 
her., daiicette and cut oil at each end. 
so as not ti. reach the sides of the Held : 
sitid of an ordinary. Thus, a fesse dancette foi/;*c</ is like 
a \\ . 
dancetty (dan-set'i), a. Same as dancette. 
danche (dun-sha'), a. [F., more commonly 
di nelie. indented, < ML. as if *dentimliix, < L. 
deii(f-)n (> OF. dent, /lout) = K. timtli.] In lii-r. : 
() Same as dunrette. (h) Same as indented. 
It is, however, asserted by sonic heralds that it denotes a 
smaller toothing or notching even than indented. 
11 :. 1 
dancing-disease (dau'sing-di-zez'), n. Same 
as tti riintisinttx. 
dancing-girl (dan'sing-gerl), . 1. A female 
professional dancer. See alma, ijhuirn.-". 
naiitrli-girl, etc. 2. pi. [Used as a singu- 
lar.] The MantisUi galtatoria, a greeuh<m-i - 
plant of the natural order Xingiln /(/ , a na- 
tive of the East Indies. Its singular purple and 
yellow llowers have some resemblance to a bal- 
let 'lancer. 
dancing-master (dan 'sing- mas "tdr), n. A 
t earlier of dancing. 
The legs of a dancing-matter, anil the lingers of a mu- 
sician, fall, as it were, naturally, without thought or pains, 
into regular and admirable motions. 
/..;..'. Human Understanding, t 4. 
dancing-pipet (dau'siug-pip), n. A musical 
instrument, probably a flute, on which accom- 
paniments to a dance were played. 
Dawnctiiiue-ptttH, <'arola. Prompt. Pare. 
dancing-room (dan'sing-rSm), . A room for 
dancing; a ball-room; specifically, in Great 
Britain, a public room licensed for music and 
dancing. 
dancy (dan'si), a. Same as danche. Colt/rave. 
danda (dan'dfi), n. [Skt. danda, a rod.] An 
East Indian long measure, equal to the English 
fathom, or 6 feet. 
dandelion (dan'de-li-un), n. [Formerly dent- 
de-lyon, < F. dent de lion (= Sp. diente de Icon = 
Pg. dente de leSo = It. dente di leuiie), lit. lion's 
tooth (with allusion to the form of the leaves) : 
dent, < L. den(t-)s = E. tooth; de, < L. de, of; 
lion, < L. leo(n-), a lion: see lion. Cf. equiv. 
D. leeuwentand = G. lowenzaltn = Dan. loee- 
tand = Sw. lejontand; and see lion's-tooth and 
Leontodon.'] A well-known plant, Taraxacum 
officinale, natural order Composite, having a 
naked fistulous scape with one large bright- 
yellow flower, and a tapering, milky, perennial 
root. It is found under several forms over the whole of 
Europe, central and northern Asia, and North America. 
The root has been used as a substitute for coffee. It acts 
as an aperient and tonic, and is esteemed in affections of 
the liver. The seed of the plant is furnished with a white 
pappus, and is transported far aud wide by the wind. The 
flowers open in the morning between 5 and 6 o'clock, and 
close between 8 and 9 in the evening ; hence this was one of 
the plants chosen by l.inna-us for his floral clock. Dwarf 
dandelion, of the United States, Krigia Viririniea.'faM 
dandelion, the Leontodon a ti note. False dande- 
lion, a branching composite of the southern United States, 
/'//rr/io/Ki^'u* Ciirotiiiiiinux, with dandelion-like heads. 
dander 1 (dan'der), v. i. [So. and E. dial. ; also 
daunder and dauner; connected with dandle, 
q. v.] 1 . To wander about aimlessly ; saunter. 
Allane throw flow'ry hows I dander. 
Railway, Poems, II. 2V3. 
2. To talk incoherently; maunder; hence, to 
make a loud buzzing or reverberating sound. 
The armies met, the trumpet sounds, 
The tiadrinfj drums alloud did totik. 
Battle of Harlaw (Child's Ballads, VII. 188). 
dander 2 (dan'der), n. [Corrupted from dan- 
druff, q. v.} I. Dandruff; scurf. 2. Anger; 
passion. [Vulgar.] 
When his dander is up. ifuarterly Rre. 
To get one's dander up, or to nave one's dander 
raised, to get into a passion. [Vulgar.] 
What will get ymir dander rix? 
Ltmxll, Biglow Papers, I. 10. 
dander 3 (dan'der), n. [8c. ; origin obscure.] 
A cinder ; specifically, in the plural, the refuse 
of a furnace. 
dandering (dan'd6r-ing), p. a. [Sc., also writ- 
ten daundering, daunering, etc., ppr. of dan- 
der^, daunder, etc.] Sauntering; loitering; go- 
ing about aimlessly. 
dandiacal (dan'di-a-kal), <7. [Improp. < dandy 
+ -ac + -a?.] Of, pertaining to, or resembling 
a dandy or dandies ; dandified. [Humorous.] 
To my own surmise, it appears as if this Dandiacal Sect 
were hut a new modification, adapted to the new time, of 
that primeval superstition, self-worship. 
Carlylt, Sartor Resartus, p. 191. 
dandify (dan'di-fi), r. t. ; pret. and pp. dandi- 
fied, jipr. dandifi/ing. [< dandy + -fy.] To 
make or form like a dandy; give the character 
or style of a dandy to. 
Clive, whose pn>s|HTity offended them, and whose dan- 
itinsd manners. . . gave umbrage to these elderly appren- 
tices. Thackeray, Newcomes, xviii. 
I'.ccentricity and dandified bearing. 
Thf American, VI. SIS. 
What if, after all, Tolstoi's power came from his con- 
science, which made it as impossible for him to caricature 
or (liiiulifti any feature of life as to lie or cheat? 
Harper's Mag., LXXVI. 480. 
dandily (dan'di-li), adv. In the manner or 
style of a dandy; as a dandy; foppishly; dain- 
tily. [Rare.] 
dandy 
dandiprat, dandyprat <d:ii'di-prat), . [First 
in llitli century; I'.nnerly also din/dii-jiml, <lun- 
di/ti-nt; origin obscure. Cf. </<///'.] 1. A lit- 
tle follow; an urchin; adwarf: a word of fond- 
ness or contempt. 
The Hiiulg 'I'ln'lififitt smells nil out. 
Miuniii'.irf, Nirgin-Muityr, ii. 1. 
"It Is even so, my little dandit-prat but w ho tin: dev >l 
could teach it tine.'' 
IK. not thuii care about that," said KlibbertiuiliU-t. 
,sci,^. Kenilwi'ltll, XXVi. 
2. A small silver coin formerly current in Eng- 
land, equal to three halfpence. 
3 halfc-]H.-nce maketh 1 hiitiitiitrate. 
T. Uillt, Arlthmetieke (1600), L IX 
Shall I make a Frenchman cry O ! before the fall of the 
leaf? not I, by the cross of this Dandyprat. 
Middleton, Blurt, Master-Constable, II. 1. 
Dandiprat or dodkin, so called because it is as little 
among other money as a dandiprat or dwurfe among other 
men. Niiixltfu, 1617. 
King Henry [VII.] is also said to have stamped a small 
coin called Ittiii'lif-Pralu, but what sort of money thin was 
we are not Informed. 
Lealce, Account of English Money (1793), p. 181. 
dandle (dan'dl), /. /.; pret. and pp. dandled, 
ppr. dandling. [Cf. Sc. dandill, go about idly; 
Sc. and E. dial, dander, daunder, dauner (see 
dander 1 ), wander about, talk incoherently, etc. 
Cf. G. tandeln, toy, trifle, play; MD. dantinnen, 
trifle ( whence prob. F. dandiner, swing, waddle). 
These appear to be freq. verbs, from a base 
seen in MD. danten, do foolish things, trifle, 
MHG. tant, G. land (> Dan. taut), a trifle, toy, 
empty prattle. Cf. Olt. dandolare. dondolare, 
dandle, play, dandola, dondola, a doll, a kind 
of ball-play; mod. dondolare, swing, toss, loiter, 
dondolo, a swing, jest, sport; prob. of Teut. 
origin.] 1. To shake or move up and down in 
the arms or on the knee, as a nurse tosses or 
trots an infant ; amuse by play. 
Then shall ye ... be dandled upon her knees. 
I -a. Kvi. 12. 
I have dandled you, and kiss'd you, and play d with you, 
A hundred and a hundred times, and danc'd you, 
And swung you in my bell-ropes. 
Fletcher, Spanish Curate, it 1. 
Sporting the lion ramp'd, and in his paw 
Dandled the kid. MUtun, P. L., Iv. S44. 
Now, when the winds were gathered home, when the 
deep was dandling itself back into its summer slumber. 
. . . the voice of these tide-breakers was still railed for 
havoc. K. L. Stevenson, The Merry Men. 
Hence 2f. To fondle or make much of ; treat 
as a child; pet; amuse. 
Like English Gallants, that in Youth doo go 
To visit Rhine, Sein, Ister, Am. aud Po; 
Where though their Sense be dandled, Dayes and Nights, 
In sweetest choice of changeable Delights, 
They never can forget their Mother-Soyl. 
Sylvester, tr. of Du liartas's Weeks, i. 6. 
They have put me in a silk gown and gaudy fool's cap ; 
I am ashamed to be dandled thus. Addixon. 
3f. To play or trifle with ; put off with cajolery 
or trifling excuses ; wheedle ; cajole. 
King Henries ambassadors, . . . hailing beene dandled 
by the French during these delusive practises, returned 
without other finite of their latiours. 
Speed, Hen. VII., IX. XI. % 28. 
4f. To defer or protract by trifles. 
They doe so,- dandle theyr doinges, and dallye In the 
service to them committed, as yf they would not have the 
Enemye subdued. Spenser, state of Ireland. 
dandier (dan'dler), n. One who dandles or 
fondles. 
dandraffet. See dandruff. 
dandruff, dandriff (dan'druf, -drif), w. [For- 
merly also dandraffe (dial, dander: see rfan- 
rfer2) ; spelled danruffe in Levins (A. D. 1570) ; 
hardly found earlier. Origin unknown.] A 
scurf which forms on the scalp or skin of the 
head, and comes off in small scales or dust. 
It is the cuticle or scarfskin of the scalp, quite like that 
which desquamates from other parts of the body, but 
caught and held in the hair instead of !>eing continually 
rubbed away by the friction of the clothes. 
The dandnife or unseemly skales within the haire of 
the head or lieard. Holland, tr. of Pliny, xx. 8. 
dandy 1 (dan'di), ii. and a. [Perhaps a popular 
accommodation of F. dandin, a ninny, booby, 
connected with dandiner. look foolish, gape ill- 
fa voredly (Cotgrave). mod. swing, sway, jog: 
see dandle. Cf. dandiprat.'] I. 11. ; pi. dandies 
(-diz). 1. A man who attracts attention by the 
unusual finery of his dress and a corresponding 
fastidiousness or display of manner ; a man of 
excessive neatness and primness in his attire 
and action ; an exquisite ; a fop. 
Your men of fashion, your " Muscadins " of Paris, and 
your dandies of London. Ditraeli. 
Tile introduction of the modern slang word dandy as 
applied, half in admiration and half in derision, to a fop 
