fox trot
1 Americannoun
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a social dance, in quadruple meter, performed by couples, characterized by various combinations of slow and quick steps.
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a pace, as of a horse, consisting of a series of short steps, as in slackening from a trot to a walk.
verb (used without object)
Etymology
Origin of fox trot1
An Americanism dating back to 1870–75
Origin of fox-trot2
First recorded in 1915–20
Vocabulary lists containing fox-trot
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Nights were for parties, no-frills affairs with a disco ball, women in glittery gowns and a steady stream of cha-cha, fox trot, waltz, salsa, tango, bachata and occasional pop interludes.
From Washington Post • Jan. 24, 2023
I was kicked out of Social Dance, a genteel weekly event where the white kids in my town dressed up in modest suits and floor-length dresses and learned the fox trot and the waltz.
From New York Times • Oct. 5, 2021
Carrie Ann acknowledges the fox trot is a tough dance, especially for the first night, but says it’s clear that Monica put in a ton of effort.
From Washington Post • Sep. 15, 2020
Taking on twisting, scenic routes in a nimble sports car with a manual transmission can feel like a masterful fox trot.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 24, 2018
If he were lucky he saw the Braves win the world's series, or the Vernon Castles dance the fox trot.
From With the Allies by Davis, Richard Harding
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
