Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To spring or whirl as in the lavolta.
  • noun A lively round dance, of Italian origin, popular in England in the time of Elizabeth and later. It probably resembled the polka or the waltz.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun An ancient dance of the Renaissance which incorporated many challenging twists and skips.

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From the Italian La volta and the French La volte (circular movement).

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Examples

  • When Robin approaches me to dance our special dance—lavolta, the only dance that allows us to embrace publicly—I keep to my resolve and turn away from him.

    Secret History of Elizabeth Tudor, Vampire Slayer Lucy Weston 2011

  • When Robin approaches me to dance our special dance—lavolta, the only dance that allows us to embrace publicly—I keep to my resolve and turn away from him.

    Secret History of Elizabeth Tudor, Vampire Slayer Lucy Weston 2011

  • Gibbie was so satisfied with her appearance that, come of age as he was, and vagrant no more, he first danced round her several times with a candle in his hand, much to the danger but nowise to the detriment of her finery, then set it down, and executed his old lavolta of delight, which, as always, he finished by standing on one leg.

    Sir Gibbie George MacDonald 1864

  • A student of Shakspere, I had learned something of every dance alluded to in his plays, and hence partially understood several of those I now saw -- the minuet, the pavin, the hey, the coranto, the lavolta.

    Lilith, a romance George MacDonald 1864

  • It is a good beast for carrying a burden or trampling down a foe, but a very indifferent one at a lavolta or a coranto.

    Lives of the English Poets Cary, Henry F 1846

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