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
Troth, in my hope, or my assurance, rather, To see thee curvet, and mount like a dog in a blanket, If ever thou presume to pass her threshold, I will endure thy company.
From The Mirror of Taste, and Dramatic Censor, Vol. I, No. 4, April 1810 by S. C. (Stephen Cullen) Carpenter
The horse, indeed, starts with his heels in the air, and will curvet and gallop and perform as many tricks as a tumbler.
From Carry On! A Story of the Fight for Bagdad by Herbert Strang
The French called vessels of this size corvettes, from the Italian word corvettore, to leap or bound, from which we have derived the word curvet.
From How Britannia Came to Rule the Waves Updated to 1900 by William Henry Giles Kingston
The sea seemed almost boundless, and dashed in noisy surges below, while the birds curveted and screamed above.
From North-Pole Voyages by Zachariah Atwell Mudge
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
When Wat Gordon mounted into the saddle with an easy spring his horse bent back its head and curveted, biting at his foot.
From The Men of the Moss-Hags Being a history of adventure taken from the papers of William Gordon of Earlstoun in Galloway by S. R. (Samuel Rutherford) Crockett
"You bet!" responded the girl actor, as she curveted down toward the factory in response to the whistle calling them back to their work.
From The Leaven in a Great City by Lillian William Betts
Just as I was passing the smoking-room door, out curveted Edwin.
From A Wodehouse Miscellany Articles & Stories by P. G. (Pelham Grenville) Wodehouse
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
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 C. B. Cox
One of the horses appeared more frightened than the other two—at least he was squealing and curveting in a much more violent manner.
From Bruin The Grand Bear Hunt by Johann Baptist Zwecker
By dodging from one of these covers to another, he arrived undiscovered at a point whence he could see the caravan and the curveting mêlée which surrounded it.
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
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
She loosed my horse, got on his back, and trotted and curvetted down the road before us.
From The Serapion Brethren, Vol. I. by Ernst Theodor Wilhelm Hoffmann
While far away, upon wooden chargers, Balmawhapple's cavalry curvetted on the slopes of Arthur's Seat and cracked vain pistols at the frowning fortress.
From Red Cap Tales Stolen from the Treasure Chest of the Wizard of the North by Sir Walter Scott
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
I sat on a slippery rock, In the grey cliff's opal shade, And the wanton waves went curvetting by Like a roystering cavalcade.
From Mr. Punch at the Seaside by Various
Startled eyes of hazel bland Kindling, growing larger, Up thou leanest with a spring, Full of prank and curvetting, Leaping like a charger.
From The Dog's Book of Verse by Various
High and dry, fires had been built and the flames were darting and curvetting among the trees.
From The War Chief of the Six Nations A Chronicle of Joseph Brant by H. H. (Hugh Hornby) Langton
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