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You are here: Home / Language / What does the expression “to trip the light fantastic” mean and Where does it come from?

What does the expression “to trip the light fantastic” mean and Where does it come from?

June 16, 2020 by Karen Hill

The expression “to trip the light fantastic” means: To dance.

In full, the expression is “to trip the light fantastic toe.”

It comes from John Milton’s “L’Allegro” (1632), from the early lines beginning:

Haste thee Nymph and bring with thee Jest and youthful Jollity,

and going on to:

Sport that wrinkled Care derides,
And Laughter holding both his sides.
Come, and trip it as ye go On the light fantastick toe.

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Filed Under: Language

About Karen Hill

Karen Hill is a freelance writer, editor, and columnist. Born in New York, her work has appeared in the Examiner, Yahoo News, Buzzfeed, among others.

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