Charleston¹

[chahrlz-tuh n, chahrl-stuh n]

noun

a vigorous, rhythmic ballroom dance popular in the 1920s.

verb (used without object)

to dance the Charleston.

Origin of Charleston¹

named after Charleston, South Carolina

Charleston²

[chahrlz-tuh n, chahrl-stuh n]

noun

a seaport in SE South Carolina.
a city in and the capital of West Virginia, in the W part.
a city in E central Illinois.

West Virginia

noun

a state in the E United States. 24,181 sq. mi. (62,629 sq. km). Capital: Charleston. Abbreviation: WV (for use with zip code), W.Va.

Related formsWest Virginian, adjective, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for charleston

Contemporary Examples

“If Charleston harbor needs improvement, let the commerce of Charleston bear the burden,” he said.
Steve Scalise Shows There’s a Fine Line Between Confederate & Southern
Lloyd Green
January 2, 2015
When the high court ruled in Brown, the Charleston circuit court, of course, reversed itself.
South Carolina Republicans Snub Desegregation Judge
Michael Tomasky
April 21, 2014
So Graham, Scott, and Sanford could have found a way to make it to Charleston if it really mattered to them.
South Carolina Republicans Snub Desegregation Judge
Michael Tomasky
April 21, 2014
As a college student, I was lucky enough to visit Charleston on a tour of Virginia Woolf related sites.
House of Cads: Growing Up Amid the Weirdness of Bloomsbury
Jessica Ferri
April 10, 2014
Soon after, government officials told residents of Charleston, West Virginia, and surrounding areas to stop using tap water.
West Virginia Is Just The Beginning For Chemical Spill Disasters
Sally Kohn
January 13, 2014

Historical Examples

On the 11th Feb. 1780, they landed about thirty miles from Charleston.
A Sketch of the Life of Brig. Gen. Francis Marion
William Dobein James
After that I wish to see you as soon as possible in Charleston.
A Sketch of the Life of Brig. Gen. Francis Marion
William Dobein James
We had an ordinary run to Charleston, and began to prepare for the reception of our cargo.
Ned Myers
James Fenimore Cooper
This vessel belonged to Charleston, and it was intended she should return to her own port.
Ned Myers
James Fenimore Cooper
We were discharging sugar at Charleston, in very heavy casks.
Ned Myers
James Fenimore Cooper

British Dictionary definitions for charleston

charleston

noun

a fast rhythmic dance of the 1920s, characterized by kicking and by twisting of the legs from the knee down

Word Origin

C20: named after Charleston, South Carolina

Charleston

noun

a city in central West Virginia: the state capital. Pop: 51 394 (2003 est)
a port in SE South Carolina, on the Atlantic: scene of the first action in the Civil War. Pop: 101 024 (2003 est)

West Virginia

noun

a state of the eastern US: part of Virginia until the outbreak of the American Civil War (1861); consists chiefly of the Allegheny Plateau; bounded on the west by the Ohio River; coal-mining. Capital: Charleston. Pop: 1 810 354 (2003 est). Area: 62 341 sq km (24 070 sq miles)Abbreviation: W Va, W. Va., (with zip code) WV

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

Word Origin and History for charleston

Charleston

dance style characterized by side-kicks from the knee, 1923 (as title of a song), 1925 as a dance, from the U.S. city of Charleston, South Carolina, which was named for King Charles II of England.

Whether the Charleston (dance) has come to stay or not, it behooves every open-minded hostess and musician to "try it out" anyhow. [Ethel P. Peyser, "The Rotarian," July 1926]

charleston in Culture

Charleston

A fast-paced dance, with elaborate arm movements, that became a craze in the United States during the 1920s.

Charleston

Two cities in the South: one a port city in southeastern South Carolina, the other the capital of West Virginia.

West Virginia

State in the southeastern United States bordered by Pennsylvania and Maryland to the north, Virginia to the east and south, and Kentucky and Ohio to the west. Its capital and largest city is Charleston.

Note

Separated from Virginia after Virginia seceded from the Union in 1861; it was granted statehood in 1863, during the Civil War.

Note

Ranks first in bituminous coal production, with about twenty percent of the nation's total.

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Charleston2

West Virginia

Related Words

Examples from the Web for charleston

Contemporary Examples

“If Charleston harbor needs improvement, let the commerce of Charleston bear the burden,” he said.

When the high court ruled in Brown, the Charleston circuit court, of course, reversed itself.

So Graham, Scott, and Sanford could have found a way to make it to Charleston if it really mattered to them.

As a college student, I was lucky enough to visit Charleston on a tour of Virginia Woolf related sites.

Soon after, government officials told residents of Charleston, West Virginia, and surrounding areas to stop using tap water.

Historical Examples

On the 11th Feb. 1780, they landed about thirty miles from Charleston.

After that I wish to see you as soon as possible in Charleston.

We had an ordinary run to Charleston, and began to prepare for the reception of our cargo.

This vessel belonged to Charleston, and it was intended she should return to her own port.

We were discharging sugar at Charleston, in very heavy casks.

charleston

Word Origin

Charleston

West Virginia

Word Origin and History for charleston

Charleston

Charleston

Charleston

West Virginia

Note

Note

Charleston¹

Origin of Charleston¹

Charleston²