prance
[prans, prahns]
- to spring from the hind legs; to move by springing, as a horse.
- to ride on a horse doing this.
- to ride gaily, proudly, or insolently.
- to move or go in an elated manner; cavort.
- to dance or move in a lively or spirited manner; caper.
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- to cause to prance.
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- the act of prancing; a prancing movement.
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Origin of prance
1325–75; Middle English prauncen, praunsen (v.); akin to Danish (dial.) pransk spirited, said of a horse
Synonyms
See more synonyms for prance on Thesaurus.com4, 5. gambol, leap, skip, romp, frolic, frisk.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for prancing
Contemporary Examples
It felt like prancing, she said, like the way a happy horse frolics through a field of poppies.
‘Prancercise’ Creator on Her ‘Wacky’ Workout and Being Too Famous to PrancerciseWinston Ross
May 30, 2013
The star—radiant smile, pretty and prancing like she was to the catwalk born—is N.
Oh, he talks a good game, prancing around on The View and Larry King.
Historical Examples
They were then halfway to the ship, with Murgatroyd prancing on ahead.
Pariah PlanetMurray Leinster
He's a prancing beast, and so we mustn't startle him—not till I have located the stuff.
VictoryJoseph Conrad
“Heap big Injun chief,” announced Bobby, prancing about in his suit.
Four Little Blossoms at Brookside FarmMabel C. Hawley
Now the fame of Prue and her prancing was not long pent up in Carthage.
In a Little TownRupert Hughes
I'd have had you prancing to the tune of the wedding march before now.
The Trail of '98Robert W. Service
prance
- (intr) to swagger or strut
- (intr) to caper, gambol, or dance about
- (intr)
- (of a horse) to move with high lively springing steps
- to ride a horse that moves in this way
- (tr) to cause to prance
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- the act or an instance of prancing
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Word Origin
C14 prauncen; perhaps related to German prangen to be in full splendour; compare Danish (dialect) pransk lively, spirited, used of a horse
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for prancing
prance
v.
late 14c., originally of horses, of unknown origin, perhaps related to Middle English pranken "to show off," from Middle Dutch pronken "to strut, parade" (see prank); or perhaps from Danish dialectal prandse "to go in a stately manner." Klein suggests Old French paravancier. Related: Pranced; prancing. As a noun from 1751, from the verb.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper