country-dance
noun
a dance of rural English origin in which the dancers form circles or squares or in which they face each other in two rows.
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country-dance
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country dance
country dancenouna type of folk dance in which couples are arranged in sets and perform a series of movements, esp facing one another in a line
country-dance
American
[kuhn-tree-dans, -dahns]
/ ˈkʌn triˌdæns, -ˌdɑns /
noun
country dance
British
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of country-dance
First recorded in 1570–80
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Courses are as varied as English country-dance, the presidency and genealogy on the computer.
From Time Magazine Archive
The fiddler was playing some sort of country-dance and all the company, except the very old people, were dancing and singing, some of the men indulging in most wonderful steps and capers.
From Chateau and Country Life in France by Mary Alsop King Waddington
Now, sir, as we have here English, Scotch, and Irish dancers, we can have the English country-dance, the Scotch reel, and the Irish jig.
From Tales and Novels — Volume 08 by Maria Edgeworth
Away went the band at once, and down the middle I flew with my partner, to the measure of a quick country-dance that no human legs could keep time to.
From Jack Hinton The Guardsman by Charles James Lever
It was not quadrille dancing, nor minuet dancing, nor even country-dance dancing.
From The Battle of Life by Charles Dickens
The 16-year-old has enjoyed the country dance style since she was seven, following in the footsteps of her mum, grandmother and great-grandmother.
From BBC ● Sep. 12, 2025
Carolyn Harris and Jay Marsh met at a country dance in Virginia while he was finishing his Army stint.
From Washington Post ● Feb. 26, 2021
FRI Zydeco dance lesson, 7:15 p.m., blues, swing, zydeco, Cajun, country dance for all ages with DJ, 8-11 p.m.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 18, 2018
Her five-piece band performed faithful versions of her songs off “Rainbow” — tunes that are a mix of rock, country, dance and singer-songwriter confessionals.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 2, 2017
At this country dance Johnny for the first time saw Rab move suddenly into action.
From "Johnny Tremain" by Esther Hoskins Forbes
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