dance on nothing en · VERB
Meanings
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(archaic, idiomatic) To be hanged.
I would much rather be here, my lady, than dancing on nothing in the Hanging-wood, near Parkend
1831, David Erskine, James III […] :Oh! Do hang him-we have waited Many a day for such a chance; Let the hempen cord be baited; See how gracefully he'll dance Dance on nothing! oh, how funny![…]
1849, A. H. Baker, “Hang the Black Rascal”, in The Prisoners' Friend:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| dancing on nothing | Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| dances on nothing | Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres | lexicographic | |
| danced on nothing | Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| danced on nothing | Tense=Past | lexicographic |
Synonyms
dance the Tyburn jig · dance upon nothing · hang · truss · take a ride to Tyburn · stretch hemp · ride a horse foaled by an acorn · dance upon nothing · dance on nothing · trine · dance on a rope · string up · dance the hempen jig · dance on a rope · swing · wag hemp · dangle