cabriole

[kab-ree-ohl; French ka-bree-awl] /ˈkæb riˌoʊl; French ka briˈɔl/
noun, plural cabrioles
[kab-ree-ohlz; French ka-bree-awl] /ˈkæb riˌoʊlz; French ka briˈɔl/ (Show IPA)
1.
Furniture. a curved, tapering leg curving outward at the top and inward farther down so as to end in a round pad, the semblance of an animal's paw, or some other feature: used especially in the first half of the 18th century.
2.
Ballet. a leap in which one leg is raised in the air and the other is brought up to beat against it.
Origin
1775-85; < French: leap, caper; so called because modeled on leg of a capering animal (see capriole); b by influence of cabri kid (≪ Old Provençal) and kindred words
Examples from the web for cabriole
  • The cabriole legs, ending in bold claw and ball feet, are vigorously carved at the knee in an acanthus design.
  • The legs are of the cabriole style with ball and claw foot.
British Dictionary definitions for cabriole

cabriole

/ˈkæbrɪˌəʊl/
noun
1.
Also called cabriole leg. a type of furniture leg, popular in the first half of the 18th century, in which an upper convex curve descends tapering to a concave curve
2.
(ballet) a leap in the air with one leg outstretched and the other beating against it
Word Origin
C18: from French, from cabrioler to caper; from its being based on the leg of a capering animal; see cabriolet
Encyclopedia Article for cabriole

ballet jump, formerly performed only by men, in which the dancer beats the calves of the legs together in the air, with a scissors-like movement. When the beat occurs, the legs are extended at either a 45 or 90 angle to the body at the front, side, or back. The dancer may land on one foot, then bring the second foot down to fifth position-cabriole fermee ("closed cabriole")-or may complete the step with the second foot in the air-cabriole ouverte ("open cabriole").

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