dance

ball, dance

这两个名词均有“舞会”之意。
ball: 多指社交性的舞会，场面较为隆重和正式。
dance: 指一般性的非正式舞会。

名词 dance:

1. an artistic form of nonverbal communication
2. a party of people assembled for dancing
3. taking a series of rhythmical steps (and movements) in time to music
   同义词：dancing, terpsichore, saltation
4. a party for social dancing

动词 dance:

1. move in a graceful and rhythmical way
2. move in a pattern; usually to musical accompaniment; do or perform a dance
   同义词：trip the light fantastic, trip the light fantastic toe
3. skip, leap, or move up and down or sideways

1. Her whole life has been given to the study of dance.
   她一生献身于研究舞蹈。
2. The waves danced in the sunlight.
   波浪在阳光下跳舞。
3. She loves to dance to music.
   她喜欢随着音乐跳舞。

dance

v.（动词）
danced,danc.ing,danc.es
v.intr.（不及物动词）
To move rhythmically usually to music, using prescribed or improvised steps and gestures.
跳舞：通常是和着音乐有节奏地移动，用规定的或即兴表演的步伐和手势

To leap or skip about excitedly.
雀跃：激动地跳跃或跳
To appear to flash or twinkle:
闪亮，闪动：出现突然发光或闪亮：
例句：
eyes that danced with merriment.
眼神闪烁着欢乐

Informal To appear to skip about; vacillate:
【非正式用语】 四处跳跃；踌躇：
例句：
danced around the issue.
在这个问题上犹豫不定

To bob up and down.
上下摆动
v.tr.（及物动词）
To engage in or perform (a dance).
参加或表演（舞蹈）
To cause to dance.
使跳舞
To bring to a particular state or condition by dancing:
因跳舞而…：由跳舞带来某种特殊状态或状况：
例句：
My partner danced me to exhaustion.
我的舞伴使我精疲力尽

n.（名词）
A series of rhythmical motions and steps, usually to music.
舞蹈，舞步：一系列有节奏的移动或踏步，通常是和着音乐
The art of dancing:
舞蹈艺术：
例句：
.[They] have both offered as a definition of dance: a spiritual activity in physical form. (Susan Sontag)
. 两种都可以作为舞蹈的定义：以身体的形式表现心灵活动. (苏珊·桑塔格)

A party or gathering of people for dancing; a ball.
舞会：晚会或人们聚在一起跳舞的集会；舞会
One round or turn of dancing:
一支舞：跳舞的一个轮合或一圈：
例句：
May I have this danceô
我可以请你跳这支舞吗ô

A musical or rhythmical accompaniment composed or played for dancing.
舞曲：为舞蹈所作的曲或为跳舞而演奏有音乐或节奏的伴奏
The act or an instance of dancing.
跳舞的姿态：跳舞的行为或例子

来源：
Middle English dauncen
中古英语 dauncen
from Old French danser
源自 古法语 danser
[perhaps of Germanic origin]
[可能来源于日耳曼语的]

【引伸】
danc.er
n.（名词）
danc.ingly
adv.（副词）