curvet

• POS: Noun, Verb (usu participle)
• HYPHEN: cur=vet

CIDE DICTIONARY

curvet, n. [OE. corvet, It.corvetta: cf. F. courbette. See Curve, and cf. Corvetto.].

•  A particular leap of a horse, when he raises both his fore legs at once, equally advanced, and, as his fore legs are falling, raises his hind legs, so that all his legs are in the air at once.  [1913 Webster]
•  A prank; a frolic.  [1913 Webster]

curvet, v. i. [Cf. It. corvettare. See Curvet, n.].

•  To make a curvet; to leap; to bound.  Drayton.  [1913 Webster]
•  To leap and frisk; to frolic.  Shak.  [1913 Webster]

curvet, v. t. 

 To cause to curvet.  Landor.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

curvet, n. & v.
--n. a horse's leap with the forelegs raised together and the hind legs raised with a spring before the forelegs reach the ground.
--v.intr. (curvetted, curvetting or curveted, curveting) (of a horse or rider) make a curvet.

Etymology

It. corvetta dimin. of corva CURVE

ROGET THESAURUS

curvet

Leap

N leap, jump, hop, spring, bound, vault, saltation, ance, caper, curvet, caracole, gambade, gambado, capriole, demivolt, buck, buck jump, hop skip and jump, falcade, kangaroo, jerboa, chamois, goat, frog, grasshopper, flea, buckjumper, wallaby, leaping, saltatory, frisky, on the light fantastic toe, di salto in salto.

VB leap, jump up, jump over the moon, hop, spring, bound, vault, ramp, cut capers, trip, skip, dance, caper, buck, buck jump, curvet, caracole, foot it, bob, bounce, flounce, start, frisk, jump about, trip it on the light fantastic toe, trip the light fantastic, dance oneself off one's legs, dance off one's shoes.

Circuition

N circuition, circulation, turn, curvet, excursion, circumvention, circumnavigation, circumambulation, northwest passage, circuit, turning, wrench, evolution, coil, corkscrew, turning, circuitous, circumforaneous, circumfluent, round about.

Oscillation

VB oscillate, vibrate, librate, alternate, undulate, wave, rock, swing, pulsate, beat, wag, waggle, nod, bob, courtesy, curtsy, tick, play, wamble, wabble, dangle, swag, fluctuate, dance, curvet, reel, quake, quiver, quaver, shake, flicker, wriggle, roll, toss, pitch, flounder, stagger, totter, move up and down, bob up and down, pass and repass, ebb and flow, come and go, vacillate, teeter, brandish, shake, flourish.

Agitation

VB be agitated, shake, tremble, tremble like an aspen leaf, quiver, quaver, quake, shiver, twitter, twire, writhe, toss, shuffle, tumble, stagger, bob, reel, sway, wag, waggle, wriggle, wriggle like an eel, dance, stumble, shamble, flounder, totter, flounce, flop, curvet, prance, cavort, squirm, throb, pulsate, beat, palpitate, go pitapat, flutter, flitter, flicker, bicker, bustle, ferment, effervesce, foam, boil, boil over, bubble up, simmer, toss about, jump about, jump like a parched pea, shake like an aspen leaf, shake to its center, shake to its foundations, be the sport of the winds and waves, reel to and fro like a drunken man, move from post to pillar and from pillar to post, drive from post to pillar and from pillar to post, keep between hawk and buzzard, agitate, shake, convulse, toss, tumble, bandy, wield, brandish, flap, flourish, whisk, jerk, hitch, jolt, jog, joggle, jostle, buffet, hustle, disturb, stir, shake up, churn, jounce, wallop, whip, vellicate.