fox trot
1 Americannoun
-
a social dance, in quadruple meter, performed by couples, characterized by various combinations of slow and quick steps.
-
a pace, as of a horse, consisting of a series of short steps, as in slackening from a trot to a walk.
verb (used without object)
Etymology
Origin of fox trot1
An Americanism dating back to 1870–75
Origin of fox-trot2
First recorded in 1915–20
Vocabulary lists containing fox-trot
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.
It is the annual showcase, a spectacle of dance featuring the rumba, samba, fox trot, tango and more.
From New York Times • Feb. 15, 2023
There followed a fox trot from John Harbison’s opera “The Great Gatsby,” perhaps the most ingratiating side of that thorny score: think new music meets big band, with the big band prevailing.
From Washington Post • Jun. 16, 2019
Taking on twisting, scenic routes in a nimble sports car with a manual transmission can feel like a masterful fox trot.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 24, 2018
March 9; beginning-intermediate fox trot and swing dance lesson, 7 p.m., dance team performances and dancing, 8-10 p.m.
From Seattle Times • Mar. 1, 2018
They even swam, once, and Carl played at learning two new dances, strangely called the "fox trot" and the "lu lu fado."
From The Trail of the Hawk A Comedy of the Seriousness of Life by Lewis, Sinclair
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.
