macabre, adj. and n.2 : Oxford English Dictionary 14/04/2020, 09)27 Oxford English Dictionary | The definitive record of the English language macabre, adj. and n.2 Pronunciation: Brit. , /məˈkɑːbrə/, /məˈkɑːb/, U.S. /məˈkɑbrə/ /məˈkɑb/ Forms: 18 macaber, 18– macabre. Frequency (in current use): Origin: A borrowing from French. Etymons: French Danse Macabre, macabre. Etymology: In sense A. 1 < French Danse Macabre (‘Notice d'une Edition de la Danse Macabre antérieure à de celle de 1486’, 1811), misreading of Middle French Dance Macabré (see MACABRE n.1); in sense A. 2 < French macabre gruesome, grim (1843) < Danse Macabre. A. adj. 1. As postmodifier: dance macabre n. Brit. /dɔs̃ məˈkɑːbrə/, U.S. /dɑ̃s məˈkɑbrə/ (also danse macabre) the Dance of Death; a representation of this. Also figurative. 1841 Bentley's Miscell. Jan. 24 If, then, by some culinary magic, he can be induced to..prefer a minuet in the Council Chamber to the Dance Macabre in the shades below. 1851 H. W. LONGFELLOW Golden Legend V. 224 Elsie. What are these paintings on the walls around us? Henry. The Dance Macaber! Elsie. What? Henry. The Dance of Death. 1870 C. M. YONGE Caged Lion ix. 166 It is the Danse Macabre... It was invented as a warning to those of sinful life. 1938 Oxf. Compan. Music 251/1 Danse macabre. The idea of Death as a dancer, or as a fiddling inciter to the dance, is very ancient. 1966 Listener 17 Nov. 746/3 An Allegretto in G minor—a waltz-like danse macabre—which quotes the opening of the first cello concerto. 1989 W. ADAMS & J. W. BROCK Dangerous Pursuits V. xv. 175 Today, however, the danse macabre goes on. Resources continue to be diverted from productivity-enhancing pursuits into nonproductive paper entrepreneurialism. 2. Characterized by or suggestive of the gruesomeness of the danse macabre; grim, horrific, repulsive. 1889 Athenæum 14 Sept. 347/2 One Dance of Death circles uninterruptedly from end to end... The book is macabre, but unaffectedly macabre. 1892 Speaker 29 Oct. 528/1 It was the material representation..of the ghastly, the grim, and the macabre which Webster intended. 1902 Spectator 12 Apr. 557 Her habits are bizarre, even macabre. https://www.oed.com/view/Entry/111744?rskey=597XDQ&result=2&print Page 1 of 2 macabre, adj. and n.2 : Oxford English Dictionary 14/04/2020, 09)27 1948 J. ROSENBERG Rembrandt v. 157 A skull is seen in the half shadow behind him, like a macabre echo of the scholar's own face. 1979 J. JOHNSTON Old Jest 140 The scar itself was..like a long, macabre mouth, with the pale marks of stitching criss-crossing the lips. 1987 Sunday Times 4 Oct. 72/1 Showing a macabre sense of humour he enclosed a wreath. 1989 Atlantic Oct. 116/2 There is a certain macabre amusement arising from the vision of the professor backpacking carrion by the hundredweight through knee-deep snow. B. n.2 A macabre happening; (with the) the macabre quality. c1920 T. E. LAWRENCE Lett. (1938) facing p. 233 It's just struck me that there's all the elements of a macabre in the passage which R. G. censored. 1948 F. R. LEAVIS Great Trad. i. 19 The unfortunate macabre of the cab-journey. 1958 H. GOAD Lang. in Hist. 157 The macabre of..Baudelaire, gave the impression of decadence. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2000). Oxford University Press Copyright © 2020 Oxford University Press . All rights reserved. https://www.oed.com/view/Entry/111744?rskey=597XDQ&result=2&print Page 2 of 2
