passymeasure

English

Etymology

Corrupted from Italian passamezzo. Doublet of passamezzo.

Noun

passymeasure (plural passymeasures)

(obsolete) A dance, the passepied.
- c. 1601–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Twelfe Night, or What You Will”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene i]:
  After a passy-measure, or a pavin', I hate a drunken rogue

References

“passymeasure”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.