Learn English – Is “dance around” a valid phrasal verb

expressionsidiomsneologisms

I think the idiomatic expresssion “dance around” a subject, an issue meaning, avoid addressing a subject or an issue, is a common metaphor as in:

When it comes to money, however, we find lots of ways to dance around the subject, engage euphemisms to shield reality, or avoid the topic altogether. From Women, Money & Cheesecake:
By Brona Pinnolis, Linda A. Tripp, Paulette Williamson

But she, too, found it easier to dance around the subject rather than actually just say out loud what they were both thinking. From Just the Sexiest Man Alive
By Julie James

Curiously I couldn’t find its meaning in any online dictionary (can’t tell about the OED) and the only reference available appears to be the following page from thesaurus.com.

Is it because it is a very recent expression or because it is not as common as I guessed it was?

Whatever the case, is it a valid expression that can be safely used, at least, colloquially?

Best Answer

To dance around something, phrasal verb: Longman Advanced American Dictionary

  • to avoid discussing something or dealing with it directly
  • As in:
  • "The governor spent the day dancing around reporters’ questions".

Difficult to find, but this dictionary has it. No etymology with Longman. The link is to the public access. Unlike the OED, apparently paywall does not allow one to even view a link. In italics is publicly available. I have access to the full version, to which I answer.

Here is its use in an AmE newspaper : google books

Reading Eagle - Page 32

Reading Eagle - ‎Dec 11, 2003 - ‎Newspaper - ‎Full view Berks lawmakers twirled around the question when asked where they stood. "Squarely on both feet," joked Hep. Samuel E. Rohrer, a Robeson Township Republican. "I'll guess I have to dance around the issue because I don't know"

I hear it used in AmE frequently, especially in our raucous politics.

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