Chapter Dampen to Dangerous of D by Webster's Dictionary (1913 Edition)

Dance
(Dance), n. [F. danse, of German origin. See Dance, v. i.]

1. The leaping, tripping, or measured stepping of one who dances; an amusement, in which the movements of the persons are regulated by art, in figures and in accord with music.

2. (Mus.) A tune by which dancing is regulated, as the minuet, the waltz, the cotillon, etc.

The word dance was used ironically, by the older writers, of many proceedings besides dancing.

Of remedies of love she knew parchance
For of that art she couth the olde dance.

Chaucer.

Dance of Death (Art), an allegorical representation of the power of death over all, — the old, the young, the high, and the low, being led by a dancing skeleton. — Morris dance. See Morris. — To lead one a dance, to cause one to go through a series of movements or experiences as if guided by a partner in a dance not understood.

Dancer
(Dan"cer) n. One who dances or who practices dancing.

The merry dancers, beams of the northern lights when they rise and fall alternately without any considerable change of length. See Aurora borealis, under Aurora.

Danceress
(Dan"cer*ess), n. A female dancer. [Obs.] Wyclif.

Dancetté
(Dan`cet`té") a. [Cf. F. danché dancetté, dent tooth.] (Her.) Deeply indented; having large teeth; thus, a fess dancetté has only three teeth in the whole width of the escutcheon.

Dancing
(Dan"cing) p. a. & vb. n. from Dance.

Dancing girl, one of the women in the East Indies whose profession is to dance in the temples, or for the amusement of spectators. There are various classes of dancing girls. — Dancing master, a teacher of dancing. — Dancing school, a school or place where dancing is taught.

Dancy
(Dan"cy) a. (Her.) Same as Dancetté.

Dandelion
(Dan"de*li`on) n. [F. dent de lion lion's tooth, fr. L. dens tooth + leo lion. See Tooth, n., and Lion.] (Bot.) A well-known plant of the genus Taraxacum (T. officinale, formerly called T. Dens- leonis and Leontodos Taraxacum) bearing large, yellow, compound flowers, and deeply notched leaves.

Dander
(Dan"der) n. [Corrupted from dandruff.]

1. Dandruff or scurf on the head.

2. Anger or vexation; rage. [Low] Halliwell.

Dander
(Dan"der), v. i. [See Dandle.] To wander about; to saunter; to talk incoherently. [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.

Dandi
(||Dan"di) n. [Hind. &dsdotan&dsdoti, fr. &dsdotan&dsdot an oar.] A boatman; an oarsman. [India]

Dandie
(Dan"die) n. (Zoöl.) One of a breed of small terriers; — called also Dandie Dinmont.

Dandified
(Dan"di*fied) a. Made up like a dandy; having the dress or manners of a dandy; buckish.

Dandify
(Dan"di*fy) v. t. [imp. & p. p. Dandified ; p. pr. & vb. n. Dandifying.] [Dandy + -fy.] To cause to resemble a dandy; to make dandyish.