war dance

See synonyms for war dance on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. a dance preliminary to going into battle or in celebration of a victory, as formerly among American Indians.

Origin of war dance

1
An Americanism dating back to 1705–15

Words Nearby war dance

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use war dance in a sentence

  • An Indian chief, excelling all his tribe at a war-dance, could not have outdone the grotesque movements of the colonel.

    The Rival Campers | Ruel Perley Smith
  • Aunt Maria guessed marriage, and Captain Glover guessed a war-dance; but they had no argument, for the skipper gave in.

    Overland | John William De Forest
  • In a few moments the entire company joined in the wild antics of the war dance.

    Three Sioux Scouts | Elmer Russell Gregor
  • They surrounded them, the victor and the vanquished, and danced a war-dance, singing impromptu words.

  • The savage war dance is a dramatic representation of battle and as such serves to rouse and reawaken the warlike spirit.

British Dictionary definitions for war dance

war dance

noun
  1. a ceremonial dance performed before going to battle or after victory, esp by certain North American Indian peoples

  2. a dance representing warlike action

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012