jaunce

Meanings

verbjaunce (third-person singular simple present jaunces, present participle jauncing, simple past and past participle jaunced)

present singular third person jaunces · participle present jauncing · participle past jaunced · past jaunced

To prance; to frolic.
To jolt or shake.
catch my death with jauncing up and down!
c. 1591–1595 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Romeo and Ivliet”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene v]

nounjaunce (plural jaunces)

plural jaunces

A jaunt.
Fie, how my bones ache! What a jaunce have I!
c. 1591–1595 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Romeo and Ivliet”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene v]

Origin

Proto-Indo-European*ǵʰeh₂-“to gape, yawn”
Old Norseganta(sk)
North Germanic
Old Frenchjancer“to jolt, jog”
Middle Englishjouncen
Englishjaunce

Inherited from Middle English jouncen, perhaps from Old French jancer (“to jolt, jog”), from North Germanic, related to Swedish ganta (“to sport, romp, jest, play the fool”), from Old Norse ganta(sk), of uncertain origin, possibly ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰeh₂- (“to gape, yawn”). More at jaunt. Perhaps influenced by bounce.

More words from Middle English, Old French, North Germanic

Full word history & related roots →