Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

trip the light fantastic

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.43 in modern English

Syllables: trip the -light -fan-tas-tic
IPA

35

Scrabble Score

21

Letters

5

Syllables

13

Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To dance or to move rhythmically to musical accompaniment, especially in a graceful or nimble manner.

Example Sentences

"On board the steamer, which accompanied the yachts all through the race, the majority passed their time pleasantly in paying homage to Terpsichore; though there was not much room for dancing, a goodly array continued to trip the light fantastic."
""Swing Time:" Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers trip the light fantastic in this yarn about a dancer with a yen for gambling."
"In the fairy tale by the Grimm brothers, they each wear out a pair of dancing shoes nightly, tripping the light fantastic in a magic forest."

Etymology

Shortening of trip the light fantastic toe.

Inflected Forms

trips the light fantastic (present, singular) tripping the light fantastic (participle, present) tripped the light fantastic (participle, past) tripped the light fantastic (past) trip the light fantastic toe (alternative)

Synonyms

dance trip the light fantastic toe

Questions

What does trip the light fantastic mean?: To dance or to move rhythmically to musical accompaniment, especially in a graceful or nimble manner.
Where does trip the light fantastic come from?: Shortening of trip the light fantastic toe.

How to pronounce trip the light fantastic

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “trip the light fantastic”.
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