dance on nothing

verb

To be hanged.

Similar
dance on a ropedance upon nothingdance the hempen jigdance the Tyburn jigdanglehangride a horse foaled by an acornstretch hemp
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Meanings

verbdance on nothing (third-person singular simple present dances on nothing, present participle dancing on nothing, simple past and past participle danced on nothing)

present singular third person dances on nothing · participle present dancing on nothing · participle past danced on nothing · past danced on nothing

  1. archaicidiomaticTo 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 […]
    1 more example

    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

    Synonyms: dance on a rope, dance upon nothing, dance on a rope, dance the hempen jig, dance the Tyburn jig, dance upon nothing, dangle, hang

Synonyms & antonyms

verbTo be hanged.

Similar
dance on a ropedance upon nothingdance on a ropedance the hempen jigdance the Tyburn jigdance upon nothingdanglehangride a horse foaled by an acornstretch hempstring upswingtake a ride to Tyburntrinetrusswag hemp
Also see
dance on a ropedance the hempen jigdance the tyburn jigdance upon nothingride a horse foaled by an acornstretch hempstring upswingtake a ride to tyburntrinewag hemp
Cite this entry
APA

dance on nothing. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dance%20on%20nothing

MLA

“dance on nothing.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dance%20on%20nothing. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “dance on nothing,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dance%20on%20nothing.

Source: dance on nothing on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.