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
The horse, surprised at his burden, cantered casually along at first; then, resenting the intrusion, began to toss his head, snort and curvet about.
From Penny of Top Hill Trail by Lyford, Philip
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 Johnson, Rossiter
On his way thither, he witched the world of Nismes with his noble horsemanship, making his charger bound and prance and curvet, greatly to the delight of the immense crowd that followed him.
From The Huguenots in France by Smiles, Samuel
Teddy galloped and curveted about them; Monroe enchanted Teddy.
From Martie, the Unconquered by Norris, Kathleen Thompson
And as my sword clanked and my spurs jingled while Fatima pranced and curveted under me in the bright spring weather, my heart sang an accompaniment to them.
From The Rose of Old St. Louis by Dillon, Mary
It pranced and curveted and showed much spirit.
From Legends of The Kaw The Folk-Lore of the Indians of the Kansas River Valley by Voe, Carrie de
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 Wodehouse, P. G. (Pelham Grenville)
She danced, and she sang, and she curveted gracefully on the frost-covered grass.
From Capricious Caroline by Rowlands, Effie Adelaide
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 Benson, E. F. (Edward Frederic)
“Much obliged to you, sir, for the information,” said Whaup, controlling, with some difficulty, the incessant curveting of his steed.
From Tales from "Blackwood," Volume 2 by Various
Underneath my stroking hand, Startled eyes of hazel bland Kindling, growing larger, Up thou leapest with a spring, Full of prank and curveting Leaping like a charger.
From Heads and Tales : or, Anecdotes and Stories of Quadrupeds and Other Beasts, Chiefly Connected with Incidents in the Histories of More or Less Distinguished Men. by White, Adam
Another minute and, curveting with impatience even after their twenty-mile spurt, the handsome bays were dancing in one long line over the springy turf, Davies and two stalwart sergeants in front of the three platoons.
From Under Fire by Cox, C. B.
That instinctive, ferocious, and tireless fighter, while seeming to be merely circling and curveting among his assailants, contrived to recharge two barrels of his revolver, and was once more ready for business.
From Overland by De Forest, J. W. (John William)
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
Domino curvetted and pranced a little, being still full of mettle and spirits; but a very firm hand held him in.
From The Saddle Boys in the Grand Canyon or The Hermit of the Cave by Carson, James
Cherubino--Yes, I was tightening the curb of my horse this morning, he curvetted and gave me a push with his head, and the bridle stud grazed my arm.
From Library of the World's Best Literature, Ancient and Modern — Volume 4 by Mabie, Hamilton Wright
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
She could not be merry and ride in triumph up-stairs on kind curvetting Sarah's willing back, while her friend was "uncomferable inside."
From The Danvers Jewels, and Sir Charles Danvers by Cholmondeley, Mary
"Have you seen them, grandpapa?" she asked, curvetting round him, as he proceeded at gentle pace across the lawn.
From The Devourers by Chartres, Annie Vivanti
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 Hoffmann, E. T. A. (Ernst Theodor Amadeus)
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.
