A prancing or spirited movement, especially the jumping motion of a horse; also refers to affected or ostentatious behavior.
From Middle French bobance, meaning 'boasting' or 'prancing,' possibly imitative in origin. The word entered English in the medieval period and referred both to physical movement and metaphorically to prideful behavior. Related to Old French bob- suggesting rapid up-and-down motion.
Medieval knights used this word to describe both their horses' fancy jumps AND people who bragged too much—because apparently bouncy horses and arrogant people had something in common in their minds!
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