(Span. cavar, to paw, applied to horses.) A word chiefly used in the Southern States. The following illustrations will show the sense in which it is used:
There's some monstrous fractious characters down in our beat, and they mustn't come a cavortin about me when I give orders.--Major Jones's Courtship, p. 20.
A whole gang of fellers, and a heap more of young ladies, came ridin' up and reinin' in, and prancin' and cavortin'.--Ibid. p. 41.
Old Alic had a daughter, that war a most enticin' creatur; and I seed Tom Settlers cavortin' round her like a young buffalo.--Robb, Squatter Life.