barn dance
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: A social event, typically held in a barn or similar rural setting, featuring traditional country or folk dancing, often with live music and a caller who instructs participants on the dance steps.
Usage
A "barn dance" refers to the event itself. It is a compound noun used as a singular, countable noun. - The community is organizing a barn dance to raise funds for the new school. - We had so much fun at the barn dance last Saturday.
Examples
- As a planned event:
- The annual harvest festival will conclude with a lively barn dance.
- Describing the experience:
- Attending a barn dance is a great way to learn traditional dances and meet people.
Advanced Usage
- Used metaphorically:
- While less common, the term can be used informally to describe any event that is lively, informal, and perhaps slightly chaotic, reminiscent of the energetic atmosphere of a real barn dance.
- The project meeting turned into a real barn dance with everyone talking at once.
Variants and Related Words
- Barn-dance (hyphenated): Sometimes used as a compound adjective.
- They hired a barn-dance band for the evening.
- Hoedown: A similar term for a lively social gathering with country dancing.
- Square dance: A specific type of country dancing often featured at a barn dance.
Synonyms
- Country dance (when referring to the type of event)
- Hoedown
- Social dance (in a rural context)
Related Phrases
- To call a barn dance: To act as the announcer who calls out the dance steps.
- My grandfather used to call the barn dance every summer.
Noun
- a dance party featuring country dancing