Obs. exc. dial. Forms: 4–9 traunce, 6– trance (also dial. 9 trawnce). [Origin and history obscure: see also TROUNCE. (The first quot. is also doubtful in form and sense.)] intr. To move about actively or briskly; to prance or skip; in later use applied ironically to moving over the ground with effort or speed; implying more rapidity than tramp.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Troilus, III. 641 (690). There was no more to speken [v.rr. skipen, schepe] nor to traunce [MS. Harl. 3943 taunce].
1390. Gower, Conf., II. 72. He [Achelons] torneth him into a Bole … The ground he sporneth and he tranceth, Hise large hornes he avanceth.
a. 1560. Rolland, Crt. Venus, I. 192. The younkeir moir wantounlie did trance.
a. 1625. Fletcher, etc., Fair Maid Inn, V. i. Traunce the world over You shall never purse up so much gold as when you were in England.
1867. E. Waugh, Factory Folk, xxii. 195. Thae’rt noan fit to trawnce up an’ deawn o’ this shap.
