cushion-dance

A form of cushion dance — A dance in which one person carries a cushion around the room, placing it before someone he or she wishes to kiss; after which kiss, the chosen person takes up the cushion and continues the dance.

Meanings

nouncushion-dance (plural cushion-dances)

plural cushion-dances

  1. alternativeAlternative form of cushion dance.

    I, that have ere now deserved a cushion, call for the "Cushion-dance."

    1603, Thomas Heywood, A Woman Killed with Kindness
    3 more examples

    At a solemn dancing, first you had the grave measures, then the corantoes and the galliards, and this is kept up with ceremony; at length to French-more, and the cushion-dance, and then all the company dances, lord and groom, lady and kitchen-maid, no distinction.

    1689, John Selden, Table Talk

    Meantime, a cotillon had been called for; then followed a jig, in which Proddy and Mrs. Plumpton distinguished themselves, occasioning immense laughter by their extraordinary and unexpected agility; after that succeeded the fine old dance of "the hay;" andd after a breathing-pause had been allowed, and refreshments handed round, the pretty and animating cushion-dance was performed — the serjeant drumming away all the while with untiring spirit , and Jiggins only stopping now and then to whet his whistle.

    1901, William Harrison Ainsworth, The Novels of William Harrison Ainsworth - Volume 5, page 169

    The old fool showed no hesitancy about thrusting himself into the circle of young dancers, and shunning the table of drinkers; and yet he longed for a drink; but his mouth watered still more for a kiss from the beautiful Magdalene, and this he might so easily have, if it would only occur to her to invite him to the cushion-dance.

    2019, Mór Jókai, Peter the Priest
Cite this entry
APA

cushion-dance. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cushion-dance

MLA

“cushion-dance.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cushion-dance. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “cushion-dance,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cushion-dance.

Source: cushion-dance on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.