Also 9 valtz, walze, walse. [f. WALTZ sb. or directly ad. G. walz-en.] intr. To dance a waltz. Also, to be addicted to, or practised in, the waltz; to dance the waltz in a specified manner.
c. 1794. Search after Perfect., III. i. in New Brit. Theatre (1814), III. 56. The sight of a lady waltzing.
1812. Byron, Waltz, To Publ. ‘Lord! Mr. Hornem, Can’t you see they’re valtzing?’ or waltzing (I forget which).
1841. Motley, Corr. (1889), I. iv. 93. I waltzed one waltz.
1870. Furnivall, Borde’s Introd. Knowl., Forewords 110. Oh fair-haired Alice, how well you waltz!
b. transf. To move lightly, trippingly or nimbly. Chiefly slang.
1862. Carlyle, Fredk. Gt., XIV. vii. (1872), V. 237. Big war-clouds waltzing hither and thither, occasionally clashing into bloody conflict.
1891. C. Roberts, Adrift Amer., 205. All you have to do is to put a good ‘front on,’ and waltz in with the crowd.
1900. J. Slocum, in Century Mag., Feb., 600/1. With a fair wind, she waltzed beautifully round the coast.
c. quasi-trans. (with advb. extension): To move (a person, oneself) as in a waltz.
1853. Dickens, Bleak Ho., viii. We are always … revolving about the Lord Chancellor and all his satellites, and equitably waltzing ourselves off to dusty death, about Costs.
1881. Mary C. Hay, Missing, II. 337. How Edgar laughed as he waltzed me through the hall!
1883. Harper’s Mag., March, 600/2. He seized me and waltzed me around the little dining-room till he nearly upset Birdie’s cradle.
Hence Waltzing vbl. sb. and ppl. a.
Waltzing mouse = WALTZER b.
1811. Lady Granville, Lett. (1894), I. 22. Her waltzing is the prettiest thing that can be seen.
1811. Ld. Glenbervie, Jrnls. (1910), 143. Mr. and Miss Johnstone, whose splendid dinners and walzing balls we partook of at Brighton.
1819. Metropolis, I. 223. I suppose she is disappointed of her waltzing partner.
1848. Thackeray, Van. Fair, xlvii. The Lord George Gaunt was desired to return from Vienna, where he was engaged in waltzing and diplomacy.
1882. E. O’Donovan, Merv Oasis, I. iv. 75. They commenced sliding round the ring with a peculiar waltzing step.
1896. Fancy Mice (ed. 4), 45. Waltzing Mice.
1904. Biometrika, Jan., 4. Japanese waltzing mice.
