Boogie

Part of speech: verb, noun

Pronunciation: /ˈbuː.ɡi/

Definitions

1. To engage in lively and spirited dancing often prompted by infectious music while experiencing joy and freedom of movement
2. To participate in animated and carefree dancing usually spurred by upbeat music while expressing a sense of joy and vitality
3. To move the body rhythmically and spiritedly to music ; to leave a place quickly or in a hurry

Etymology: The verb "boogie" has a surprisingly modest origin: it comes from a French verb, "bouger," meaning to move or stir. The sense that matters here is its use for shifting one's body in a dance, so a word about simply budging an object ended up describing a loose, rhythmic style of dancing. The French verb itself is a plain everyday word for movement, and English took the idea of physical motion and turned it toward music and dancing. The spelling "boogie" reflects how the word sounded in English speech rather than French spelling, which is why it looks so different from its source.

Synonyms: dance, groove, jive, shimmy

Antonyms: stand still, sit