Charleston1
/ˈtʃɑːlstən
/1The state capital of West Virginia; population 50,302 (est. 2008).
2A city and port in South Carolina; population 111,978 (est. 2008). The bombardment in 1861 of Fort Sumter, in the harbour, by Confederate troops marked the beginning of the American Civil War.
Charleston2
/ˈtʃɑːlst(ə)n/ /ˈtʃɑːlzt(ə)n/noun
A lively dance of the 1920s which involved turning the knees inwards and kicking out the ankles.The forerunners of all the swing dances, namely the charleston and particularly the lesser known collegiate, are responsible for the existence of the shag....
- From tap to tango, Cuban salsa to the charleston, lambada to lindy hop, the most dazzling duos will be setting the dance floor and the nation's hearts alight in the hope of winning viewers' votes.
- Over time, a faster version was born, absorbing extra elements of ragtime such as the charleston.
verb [no object]
Dance the Charleston.The Big Band supplied the hip tunes and while some cut a rug, others were happy to watch the professional dance troupe lindy-hop, charleston and spin their way to rapturous applause....
- She called on Tuesday and begged me to go teach her class to charleston.
- Make like '20s screen sirens Louise Brooks, Tallulah Bankhead and designer Coco Chanel and charleston the night away.
Origin
1920s: named after Charleston1 in South Carolina, US.