May-day dances at Rome
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
At daybreak lads and lasses went out to gather "May" and other flowers for themselves and their elders; and the day was spent in dances and festivities.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “May-day dances at Rome” mean?
At daybreak lads and lasses went out to gather "May" and other flowers for themselves and their elders; and the day was spent in dances and festivities.
Is “May-day dances at Rome” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.