song and dance

song and dance
noun
1. theatrical performance combining singing and dancing
• Hypernyms: ↑performance, ↑public presentation
2. an interesting but highly implausible story; often told as an excuse
• Hypernyms: ↑fib, ↑story, ↑tale, ↑tarradiddle, ↑taradiddle

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(informal).See fuss noun sense 1.
→ song

* * *

noun
1. : a theatrical performance (as a vaudeville act) combining singing and dancing
2. : a statement or explanation interesting in itself but not necessarily true or pertinent

gave me a song and dance about how busy he was

* * *

a story or statement, esp. an untrue or misleading one designed to evade the matter at hand: Every time he's late, he gives me a song and dance about oversleeping.
[1870-75, Amer.]

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song and dance,
Informal. an explanation or account, not necessarily true, and often intended to impress or deceive: »

What's all this I hear about some song and dance you gave Colonel Snow about not wanting to join...? (Sinclair Lewis).

song-and-dance «SNG uhn DANS, -DAHNS; SONG-», adjective.
of or having to do with singing and dancing, especially in a vaudeville act or a musical comedy: »

a song-and-dance team.

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noun [singular]
1 : a performance that combines singing and dancing
2 US, informal + disapproving : a long story, explanation, or excuse that may not be true or directly related to what is being discussed
— often + about

When I asked him why the work wasn't finished, he gave me a long song and dance about some problem he's been having with his computer.

make a song and dance about (something)
Brit informal
1 : to cause a lot of excitement about (something)

The film is nothing to make a song and dance about.

2 : to complain about (something) in a way that is excessive or unnecessary

He was making a big song and dance about the new regulations.


Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • song-and-dance — song and dance, Informal. an explanation or account, not necessarily true, and often intended to impress or deceive: »What s all this I hear about some song and dance you gave Colonel Snow about not wanting to join...? (Sinclair Lewis). song and… …   Useful english dictionary

  • Song and Dance — ist ein Musical von Andrew Lloyd Webber (Musik) und Don Black (Texte). Bemerkenswert daran ist, dass der erste Akt (Song) des Werkes komplett gesungen wird, während der zweite Akt (Dance) hauptsächlich aus Tanzdarbietungen besteht.… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • song and dance — ☆ song and dance n. 1. singing and dancing, esp. in vaudeville 2. Informal talk, esp. an explanation, that is pointless, devious, or evasive …   English World dictionary

  • song and dance — song′ and dance′ n. Informal. an extended, often self justifying explanation that may be irrelevant or untrue • Etymology: 1870–75, amer …   From formal English to slang

  • Song and Dance — Infobox Musical name=Song and Dance imagesize=300px caption= music= Andrew Lloyd Webber lyrics= Don Black, additional lyrics by Richard Maltby, Jr. book= basis= productions= 1982 West End 1985 Broadway 2007 Israel awards= Song and Dance is a… …   Wikipedia

  • song and dance — 1) N UNCOUNT: usu N n A song and dance act is a performance in which a person or group of people sing and dance. 2) PHRASE (disapproval) If you say that someone is making a song and dance about something, you mean they are making an unnecessary… …   English dictionary

  • song and dance — {n.}, {informal} 1. Foolish or uninteresting talk; dull nonsense. Usually used with give . * /I met Nancy today and she gave me a long song and dance about her family./ 2. A long lie or excuse, often meant to get pity. Usually used with give . *… …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • song and dance — {n.}, {informal} 1. Foolish or uninteresting talk; dull nonsense. Usually used with give . * /I met Nancy today and she gave me a long song and dance about her family./ 2. A long lie or excuse, often meant to get pity. Usually used with give . *… …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • song\ and\ dance — noun informal 1. Foolish or uninteresting talk; dull nonsense. Usually used with give . I met Nancy today and she gave me a long song and dance about her family. 2. A long lie or excuse, often meant to get pity. Usually used with give . Billy… …   Словарь американских идиом

  • song and dance — Synonyms and related words: Broadway musical, Singspiel, act, afterpiece, ballad opera, ballet, ballet divertissement, bamboozlement, befooling, bit, bluffing, calculated deception, chaser, chorus show, circumvention, comedy ballet, comic opera,… …   Moby Thesaurus

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