grace
[ greys ]
/ greɪs /
noun
verb (used with object), graced, grac·ing.
to lend or add grace to; adorn: Many fine paintings graced the rooms of the house.
to favor or honor: to grace an occasion with one's presence.
Idioms for grace
Origin of grace
1125–75; Middle English < Old French < Latin
grātia favor, kindness, esteem, derivative of
grātus pleasing
historical usage of grace
¡Gracias! Grazie! When a Spanish or Italian speaker says thanks, they are invoking one of the meanings behind the word
grace. That’s because
grace, gracias, and
grazie all descend from the same Latin word,
grātia.
For the ancient Romans, grātia had three distinct meanings: (1) a pleasing quality, (2) favor or goodwill, and (3) gratitude or thanks. We find all three of these meanings in modern-day English. The first when we describe someone as having (or not having) grace: “Dancing, she had all the grace of an elephant on skates.” The second when we talk about giving or getting grace: “by the grace of God.” And the third when we say grace (i.e., “thanks”) at a meal.
So if you have something to be grateful for, you can say thank-you, grātia, gracias, or grazie. Just make sure you don’t give that something a coup de grâce.
For the ancient Romans, grātia had three distinct meanings: (1) a pleasing quality, (2) favor or goodwill, and (3) gratitude or thanks. We find all three of these meanings in modern-day English. The first when we describe someone as having (or not having) grace: “Dancing, she had all the grace of an elephant on skates.” The second when we talk about giving or getting grace: “by the grace of God.” And the third when we say grace (i.e., “thanks”) at a meal.
So if you have something to be grateful for, you can say thank-you, grātia, gracias, or grazie. Just make sure you don’t give that something a coup de grâce.
popular references for grace
— Amazing Grace: A hymn written by English clergyman John Newton, who participated in the slave trade before finding religion.
— Grace: Jeff Buckley’s sole studio album, released in 1994, just three years before his early death.
OTHER WORDS FROM grace
grace·like, adjective un·graced, adjectiveQuotations related to grace
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"When a person expends the least amount of motion on one action, that is grace."-Anton Pavlovich Chekhov Complete Works and Letters in Thirty Volumes, Letters, vol. 8, p. 11, “Nauka” (1976)
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"When a clergyman is present, he is asked to say grace, often after everyone is seated. But in the case of a friend, he should be asked in advance if he would like to say grace."-Nancy Tuckerman & Nancy Dunnan The Amy Vanderbilt Complete Book of Etiquette (1995)
Words nearby grace
grabble,
grabby,
graben,
gracchi,
gracchus,
grace,
grace cup,
grace note,
grace period,
grace-and-favor,
grace-and-favour
British Dictionary definitions for fall from grace (1 of 3)
grace
/ (ɡreɪs) /
noun
verb
Word Origin for grace
C12: from Old French, from Latin
grātia, from
grātus pleasing
British Dictionary definitions for fall from grace (2 of 3)
Grace
1
/ (ɡreɪs) /
noun
(preceded by your, his, or her)
a title used to address or refer to a duke, duchess, or archbishop
British Dictionary definitions for fall from grace (3 of 3)
Grace
2
/ (ɡreɪs) /
noun
W (illiam) G (ilbert). 1848–1915, English cricketer
Idioms and Phrases with fall from grace (1 of 2)
fall from grace
Experience reduced status or prestige, cease to be held in favor, as in The whole department has fallen from grace and may well be dissolved entirely. This expression originally alluded to losing the favor of God. Today it is also used more loosely, as in the example. [Late 1300s]
Idioms and Phrases with fall from grace (2 of 2)
grace
see fall from grace; in someone's bad graces; in someone's good graces; saving grace; say grace; there but for the grace of god; with good grace.