tap dance

¹ American  

noun

1. a dance in which the rhythm or rhythmical variation is audibly tapped out with the toe or heel by a dancer wearing shoes with special hard soles or with taps.

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tap-dance ² American  

[tap-dans, -dahns] / ˈtæpˌdæns, -ˌdɑns /

verb (used without object)

tap-danced, tap-dancing

1. to perform a tap dance.

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tap dance British  

noun

1. a step dance in which the performer wears shoes equipped with taps that make a rhythmic sound on the stage as he dances

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verb

1. to perform a tap dance

Other Word Forms

• tap-dancer noun
• tap-dancing noun

Etymology

Origin of tap dance¹

Probably earlier than 1925–30

Origin of tap-dance¹

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

From breakout comedians to beauty innovators, this year's nominees include jacket potato entrepreneurs, tap dancing brothers, a bus loving aunty, a BookTok aficionado and a film location fangirl.

From BBC

Even the extended intro credits have a witty energy that makes you forgive that they’re tap dancing to pad the length.

From Los Angeles Times

The last time a penguin was this serious of an awards contender, it was tap dancing with happy feet.

From Los Angeles Times

As a professor, I plunged right back into teaching classes, tap dancing away the loss and cracking macabre jokes at my own expense, remarking that the fires were the ultimate Marie Kondo exercise in decluttering.

From Los Angeles Times

Watching Lyonne’s heroine tap dance away from strafing fire gets old pretty fast, but at least Johnson and his writers realize that.

From Salon