curvet
Americannoun
verb (used without object)
-
to leap in a curvet, as a horse; cause one's horse to do this.
-
to leap and frisk.
verb (used with object)
noun
verb
-
dressage to make or cause to make such a leap
-
(intr) to prance or frisk about
Etymology
Origin of curvet
1565–75; earlier curvetto < Italian corvetta < French courbette, equivalent to courb(er) to bend, curve (≪ Latin curvāre; cf. curve) + -ette -ette ( def. )
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:
Elizabeth's Winston, pestered by a swarm of thunder flies, began to curvet alarmingly.
From Time Magazine Archive
Tigers walk treadmills, horses curvet superbly and Harry Rittely sits atop seven tables and topples over backwards.
From Time Magazine Archive
To display his skill before the ladies, he set spurs to his horse, making it bound and curvet "as valiantly as any man could do."
From The Great Events by Famous Historians, Volume 09 by Rossiter Johnson
With a curvet the boat from the open rounds up at the ladder.
From Sea and Sardinia by D. H. (David Herbert) Lawrence
A low whinny and something like a suppressed curvet was Dick's reply, and it was followed by a sharp exclamation.
From The Red Mustang by William O. Stoddard
It curveted, it kicked, it jumped a little drain, it careered into the water, making a tremendous splashing.
From Red Pottage by Mary Cholmondeley
As we curveted in the full glare of the limelight, I was aware of a figure in a pot-hat and a vast fur coat standing near the motor.
From In Mr. Knox's Country by Martin Ross
He was in a very pessimistic frame of mind when Jimmy curveted into the room, with his head in the clouds and his feet on air.
From The Gem Collector by P. G. (Pelham Grenville) Wodehouse
In front of us sat our commandant, Count Reichenbach, reining in his splendid English roan, which snorted and curveted with impatience.
From Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Vol. 60, No. 373, November 1846 by Various
He curveted into the room as if he had bought it and the rest of the city.
From The Man with Two Left Feet And Other Stories by P. G. (Pelham Grenville) Wodehouse
Let me read it for you, dear Tanty, the picture hangs a little high and those curveting letters are hard to decipher.
From The Light of Scarthey by Egerton Castle
To and fro, to and fro they swung, faster, slower, Dickie beating with his heels, the wooden horse curveting and prancing.
From Nine Little Goslings by Susan Coolidge
When she recovered self-possession enough to peep out, she saw that the young man's horse was curveting back and forth across the big road in a most alarming manner.
From Oldfield A Kentucky Tale of the Last Century by Nancy Huston Banks
Our young hero presented his revolver, but they apparently knew the short range of the weapon, and came plunging, curveting onward.
From Overland by J. W. (John William) De Forest
Her prancing progress paused there for a moment, and she waited with one knee highly elevated, like a statue of a curveting horse, before she finally decided to pass on.
From Miss Mapp by E. F. (Edward Frederic) Benson
Over Dayton, Ohio, last week curvetted three new little airplanes, undergoing rigorous U. S. Army Air Corps tests in its present search for an advanced type training plane.
From Time Magazine Archive
At Sundra Straits, he curvetted over the mountains and jungles of Sumbawa, Dutch island.
From Time Magazine Archive
Twenty feet above Aslan and Digory he snorted, neighed, and curvetted.
From "The Magician's Nephew" by C. S. Lewis
Her horse curvetted, arched his neck, played pretty tricks at command, and was long-legged enough to carry her swiftly over the ground if she so desired.
From Frances of the Ranges The Old Ranchman's Treasure by Amy Bell Marlowe
His lower limbs, beneath the surface of the stage, frisked and curvetted about "like a horse in Ducrow's arena."
From A Book of the Play Studies and Illustrations of Histrionic Story, Life, and Character by Dutton Cook
Alfredo, made his pony caper and look hard to ride, curvetting, sidling, closer and closer.
From Time Magazine Archive
The horses can smell the tiger scent and begin neighing and curvetting, trying to get away from it.
From "Tiger, Tiger" by Lynne Reid Banks
We stopped; in a trice she was out of the carriage, had untied my horse, and was up in the saddle, prancing and curvetting around us.
From Weird Tales. Vol. I by E. T. A. (Ernst Theodor Amadeus) Hoffmann
Then there came from astern a hot, puffy breeze, and the schooner stood out on a port tack, curvetting prettily as her sails were trimmed and filled.
From Isle o' Dreams by Ralph P. (Ralph Pallen) Coleman
He held the Emperor’s stirrup, while the Emperor, fittingly attired, swung gracefully astride a curvetting charger.
From The Missourian by Eugene P. (Eugene Percy) Lyle
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
