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:
Tigers walk treadmills, horses curvet superbly and Harry Rittely sits atop seven tables and topples over backwards.
From Time Magazine Archive
Elizabeth's Winston, pestered by a swarm of thunder flies, began to curvet alarmingly.
From Time Magazine Archive
When the local was still far behind she would begin to curvet and take the bit between her teeth.
From The Biography of a Prairie Girl by Eleanor Gates
He did not pant or curvet or look showy.
From Lad: A Dog by Albert Payson Terhune
Pannade, pa-nād′, n. the curvet of a horse.
From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 3 of 4: N-R) by Various
Teddy galloped and curveted about them; Monroe enchanted Teddy.
From Martie, the Unconquered by Kathleen Thompson Norris
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
She turned her head and saw him looking after her, and in her pleasure at the sight she reined in Ali until he reared erect in the air and curveted proudly.
From Only a Girl: or, A Physician for the Soul. by Wilhelmine von Hillern
He was silent for a moment, and the horse curveted gracefully under him, as if in doubt whether to gallop away again, or to ask his rider to get off.
From Ahead of the Army by C. Chase Emerson
And, in fact, as I drew near to the Avenue de l'Imperatrice my steed obstinately refused to go any further: he curveted sideways and backwards and frequently stood stock-still.
From My Life — Volume 2 by Richard Wagner
And then the wherefore of all this dashing horsemanship, this curveting, prancing, galloping revival of knightly tourney effects was apparent—Judith Rodney had opened post-office.
From Judith of the Plains by Marie Manning
Presently the drums sounded nearer and nearer—the throng opened—the Vokhimen danced through, jibbering, curveting, posturing.
From The Woodlands Orchids by Frederick Boyle
"I like you better, Charley," said she, curveting her horse, and passaging him alternately from side to side.
From Roland Cashel Volume I (of II) by Charles James Lever
But alas, you can’t codify genuflections, nor yet a handshake. 123The next degree in the imperial advent was the imperial courier, who proclaimed from a curveting steed what everybody suspected.
From The Missourian by Eugene P. (Eugene Percy) Lyle
The river—the baby—the river—the baby; and in and through, and betwixt and between, there spun the whirling merry-go-round, with its curveting wooden horses, its discordant organ, and its creaking machinery.
From The Village Watch-Tower by Kate Douglas Smith Wiggin
At Sundra Straits, he curvetted over the mountains and jungles of Sumbawa, Dutch island.
From Time Magazine Archive
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
Twenty feet above Aslan and Digory he snorted, neighed, and curvetted.
From "The Magician's Nephew" by C. S. Lewis
The hat, like a live thing with the devil in it, bounded and curvetted wildly, doubled away from Dale, dodged Rachel, and sprang right over Norah's head, threatening to make for the open sea.
From The Devil's Garden by W. B. Maxwell
Whereupon the seats revolved gayly, the Arabs curvetted; and from the base of the stout canopy pole there sounded a merry tune.
From The Poor Little Rich Girl by Eleanor Gates
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
The young trooper stood one instant looking gratefully after his officer and those curvetting steeds, eager to reach their home and supper.
From Lanier of the Cavalry or, A Week's Arrest by Charles King
But after curvetting around three or four times, he realized what sort of a rider he had to deal with and quieted down.
From Marguerite de Valois by Alexandre Dumas père
His hold also upon his curvetting steed was a little precarious, and he hoped that no one in the crowd would notice the string that tied his legs together beneath the horse's belly.
From Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 159, August 18th, 1920 by Various
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.
