prance
/prɑ:ns/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Verb:
- To move with high, springy steps, often in a lively or spirited manner: This typically describes the movement of a horse, but can also apply to people. It involves lifting the legs high and often includes a bouncing or bounding motion.
- To walk or behave in a proud, confident, and often showy way, as if trying to attract attention: This figurative meaning describes a strutting, arrogant, or ostentatious manner of walking or carrying oneself.
Noun:
- A proud, stiff, and often pompous gait or manner of walking: This refers to the specific way of walking characterized by high steps and an air of self-importance.
Examples of Usage
Verb (literal, animal movement):
- The excited horse began to prance around the paddock.
- The foal was prancing playfully beside its mother.
Verb (figurative, human behavior):
- He pranced into the room, expecting everyone to notice his new suit.
- The model pranced down the catwalk with great confidence.
Noun:
- She walked with a proud prance, her head held high.
- His walk was more of a strutting prance than a simple stroll.
Advanced Usage
"to prance about/around": to move around in a lively, energetic, and often showy or silly way.
- The children were prancing about in their costumes.
- Stop prancing around and get to work!
"to prance in/out": to enter or exit a place in a proud, lively, or attention-seeking manner.
- She pranced out of the meeting after delivering her controversial opinion.
Variants and Related Words
Prancer (n): One who prances, especially a horse that moves in this way.
- That chestnut mare is quite the prancer.
Prancingly (adv): In a prancing manner.
- He walked prancingly past the crowd.
Synonyms
- Strut: To walk with a proud, stiff, and arrogant gait (closer to the figurative human meaning).
- Cavort: To jump or dance around excitedly (closer to the lively, playful meaning).
- Bound: To move forward with leaping strides.
- Swagger: To walk or behave in a very confident and typically arrogant way.
Related Phrasal Verbs / Constructions
- Prance off: To leave in a proud, lively, or spirited manner.
- After winning the argument, he simply pranced off.
Related Idioms
- Full of prance: (Informal) Describing someone who is very lively, energetic, or showing off.
- The new intern is full of prance today.
Noun
- a proud stiff pompous gait
Verb
- ride a horse such that it springs and bounds forward
- cause (a horse) to bound spring forward
- spring forward on the hind legs
- The young horse was prancing in the meadow
- to walk with a lofty proud gait, often in an attempt to impress others
- He struts around like a rooster in a hen house