Meaning & use
the Waltzers
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Meanings
nounpluralBritish
A fairground ride with small cars that spin round and round while the whole platform turns.
Grammar: Always used with "the" and a plural verb: The Waltzers are popular at the fair.
Patterns
- go on the Waltzers
- ride the Waltzers
The kids begged to go on the Waltzers as soon as we got to the fair.
We queued for ten minutes, and the Waltzers spun us around until we were dizzy.
The Waltzers are the noisiest ride at the funfair, with music blaring the whole time.
nounplural
People who dance a waltz, especially as a performing group.
Grammar: Used with "the" and a plural verb when talking about a particular group: The Waltzers were dressed in white.
Patterns
- the Waltzers perform something
- the Waltzers dance
The Waltzers took to the floor in a swirl of blue silk.
At the ball, the Waltzers opened the evening with a slow Viennese waltz.
She joined the Waltzers after years of ballet training.
Common combinations
- go on the Waltzers
- My little brother wanted to go on the Waltzers twice in a row.
- ride the Waltzers
- We rode the Waltzers after lunch, when the queue was shorter.
- a ride on the Waltzers
- A ride on the Waltzers costs three tokens.
Synonyms and how they differ
- waltzer
- The singular form refers to one spinning car or to one person who waltzes; the plural with "the" is the usual name of the fairground ride.
- carousel
- A carousel turns smoothly with horses or seats and is gentler; the Waltzers spin each car as well.
- tea cups
- Tea cups also spin, but each cup has its own wheel in the middle, while the Waltzers' cars are driven by the ride.
Word family
Commonly confused: the Waltzers or the waltzes?
the Waltzers vs the waltzes
"Waltzes" is simply the plural of the dance or its music; "the Waltzers" with a capital W is the fairground ride or a dance group.
Practice
Which sentence uses "the Waltzers" in the usual British fairground sense?
Choose one answer.
"The Waltzers" as a fairground ride appears in a fair context and takes "on". The other options treat it as a band or a book, which is not the usual meaning.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “the Waltzers”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.