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Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
First published 1952 (SND Vol. III). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

DANCE,  v., n. Also daunce. 

I. v. 1. Sc. form of Eng. dance  Slk. 1986 Harvey Holton in Joy Hendry Chapman 43-4 168:
dauncean simmer's daith in a clanjamfrie o coloursAbd. 1996 Sheena Blackhall Wittgenstein's Web 44:
"Ye cud mak up for it bi lettin me daunce wi ye at the disco," I telt Maisie.Dundee 1996 Matthew Fitt Pure Radge 4:
hoochmagandie
ah'll hooch yir grannie
an daunce lyk a run-deil
the reel o the bogie.

2. In phrs. (1) dance-in-my-loof (luf(i)e), a name given to a very small person (Ags.¹⁷ 1940, -lufie; Rxb. 1825 Jam.², -lufe; 1923 Watson W.-B., -loof, obs.); (2) to be dancin' mad, to be in a towering rage (Bnff., Cld. 1880 Jam.⁵ s.v. rampin'); known to Cai.⁷, Bnff.², Abd.², Fif.¹⁰, Slg.³, Kcb.¹ 1939; (3) to dance one's lane, to dance with joy or from violent rage (Sc. 1808 Jam.; Abd.⁹ 1939); †(4) to send dancing, to send quickly.(2) Ags. 1988 Raymond Vettese The Richt Noise 53:
lowpin flingers, dancin-mad
wi fearsome adoration
o a dour god
whause send's thunner-stound.(3) Sc. a.1700 Ramsay T. T. Misc. (1733) 81:
She danc'd her lane, cry'd, Praise be blest, I have lodged a leal poor man.(4) Abd. 1790 A. Shirrefs Poems 251:
Send them dancing to their hand, Whatever trocks they may command.

II. n. 1. Sc. form of Eng. dance.Ags. 1985 Raymond Vettese in Joy Hendry Chapman 40 13:
My words are simple music,
the daunce o vowels, o syllabic
clusters, minuets o consonants.Lnk. 1998 Duncan Glen Selected New Poems 46:
Time has a daunce on it,
five nudes cairryin you roond and roond. You're atap
a peerie in the sky.

2. In phrs. (1) to get a dance, to be foiled, to be led a dance (Slg.³ 1939); (2) to get a dance on air, to be hanged (Abd.⁹ 1939); cf. Eng. phr. to dance on nothing, id. (N.E.D.).(1) Lth. 1813 G. Bruce Poems 159:
O had ilk Chief been as steady, The South'rons had gotten a dance.(2) Abd. 1873 J. Ogg Willie Waly, etc. 87:
They'd get a special dance on air, By my comman'.Ags. 1985 Raymond Vettese in Joy Hendry Chapman 40 13:
My words are simple music,
the daunce o vowels, o syllabic
clusters, minuets o consonants.Lnk. 1998 Duncan Glen Selected New Poems 46:
Time has a daunce on it,
five nudes cairryin you roond and roond. You're atap
a peerie in the sky.