Saint Vitus's dance

American  

[vahy-tuh-siz] / ˈvaɪ tə sɪz /

Or Saint Vitus' dance

noun

1. St. Vitus's dance.

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Saint Vitus's dance British  

/ ˈvaɪtəsɪz /

noun

1. pathol a nontechnical name for Sydenham's chorea

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Etymology

Origin of Saint Vitus's dance

C17: so called because sufferers traditionally prayed to Saint Vitus (3rd-century child martyr) for relief and were said to be cured by a visit to his shrine

Example Sentences

Don’t come straggling into the office one morning muttering, “First, gout. Now ague, biliousness, lumbago, Saint Vitus’s dance and dropsy. What’s next, apoplexy?”

From Washington Post • Aug. 16, 2019

Mrs. Maginnis listened eagerly, and longed to know who this was, for she had a little girl troubled with Saint Vitus's dance.

From The Faith Doctor A Story of New York by Eggleston, Edward

And when the covers were taken off, it was still more absurd—everything in the dishes appeared to be infected with Saint Vitus’s dance.

From Olla Podrida by Marryat, Frederick

Twitches, choræa, or Saint Vitus's dance, are not very usual, and may continue for months after every other symptom has subsided.

From The Dog by Dinks

The humorist wrote back: "Yes, rheumatism and Saint Vitus's dance."

From Toaster's Handbook Jokes, Stories, and Quotations by Fanning, C. E. (Clara Elizabeth)