pace

[ peys ]

/ peɪs /

noun

a rate of movement, especially in stepping, walking, etc.: to walk at a brisk pace of five miles an hour.

a rate of activity, progress, growth, performance, etc.; tempo.

any of various standard linear measures, representing the space naturally measured by the movement of the feet in walking: roughly 30 to 40 inches (75 cm to 1 meter). Compare geometrical pace, military pace, Roman pace.

a single step: She took three paces in the direction of the door.

the distance covered in a step: Stand six paces inside the gates.

a manner of stepping; gait.

a gait of a horse or other animal in which the feet on the same side are lifted and put down together.

any of the gaits of a horse.

a raised step or platform.

verb (used with object), paced, pac·ing.

to set the pace for, as in racing.

to traverse or go over with steps: He paced the floor nervously.

to measure by paces.

to train to a certain pace; exercise in pacing: to pace a horse.

(of a horse) to run (a distance) at a pace: Hanover II paced a mile.

verb (used without object), paced, pac·ing.

to take slow, regular steps.

to walk up and down nervously, as to expend nervous energy.

(of a horse) to go at a pace.

Idioms for pace

put through one's paces, to cause someone to demonstrate his or her ability or to show her or his skill: The French teacher put her pupils through their paces for the visitors.

set the pace, to act as an example for others to equal or rival; be the most progressive or successful: an agency that sets the pace in advertising.

Origin of pace

1250–1300; Middle English pas < Old French < Latin passus step, pace, equivalent to pad-, variant stem of pandere to spread (the legs, in walking) + -tus suffix of v. action, with dt > ss

SYNONYMS FOR pace

8 step, amble, rack, trot, jog, canter, gallop, walk, run, singlefoot.

15 Pace, plod, trudge refer to a steady and monotonous kind of walking. Pace suggests steady, measured steps as of one completely lost in thought or impelled by some distraction: to pace up and down. Plod implies a slow, heavy, laborious, weary walk: The mailman plods his weary way. Trudge implies a spiritless but usually steady and doggedly persistent walk: The farmer trudged to his village to buy his supplies.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR pace ON THESAURUS.COM

ANTONYMS FOR pace

15 scurry, scamper, skip.

SEE ANTONYMS FOR pace ON THESAURUS.COM

Words nearby pace

pacceka, paccha, pacchionian, pacchionian body, pacchionian depression, pace, pace bowler, pace car, pace lap, paced, pacefollower

Definition for pace (2 of 4)

pace ²

[ pey-see, pah-chey; Latin pah-ke ]

/ ˈpeɪ si, ˈpɑ tʃeɪ; Latin ˈpɑ kɛ /

preposition

with all due respect to; with the permission of: I do not, pace my rival, hold with the ideas of the reactionists.

Origin of pace

1860–65; < Latin pāce in peace, by favor (ablative singular of pāx peace, favor, pardon, grace)

Definition for pace (3 of 4)

hic requiescit in pace

[ heek re-kwee-e-sheet een pah-che ]

/ ˈhik ˈrɛ kwiˈɛ ʃit in ˈpɑ tʃɛ /

Latin.

here rests in peace: a phrase used on tombstones before the name of the deceased.

Definition for pace (4 of 4)

requiescat in pace

[ re-kwee-es-kaht in pah-che ]

/ ˌrɛ kwiˈɛs kɑt ɪn ˈpɑ tʃɛ /

Latin.

may he (or she) rest in peace.

Example sentences from the Web for pace

Being reminded that economic and social conditions are not improving at the pace one expected can be a powerful motivator.

Dear GOP: Fix the Damn Justice System! |Jonathan Alter |December 7, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
But at the same time, both of those roles offered the opportunity of a change in pace.

Crying With Laura Dern: The Star on Her Oscar-Worthy ‘Wild’ Turn |Kevin Fallon |December 3, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Please know that these judgmental feelings truly have no pace in my heart.

GOP Flack Throws Shade at First Teens |Olivia Nuzzi |November 29, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Wheatcroft uses the app RunKeeper, which reads aloud distance and pace information.

Running Blind: Meet the Most Inspiring Marathoner |Maggie Parker |October 31, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

Overall, the film moves along with the pace of a worsening snowstorm.

‘Force Majeure’ and the Swedish Family Vacation From Hell |Alex Suskind |October 27, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Then the fire rose higher in front of them, and when they topped the last rise the pace grew faster still.

The Impostor |Harold Bindloss
Tommy was not inclined to check his pace, but a revolver in the hands of the fellow induced him to do so.

Boy Scouts in the Canal Zone |G. Harvey Ralphson
The host, with a sudden gesture, tore off his mask and the Burglar accelerated his pace.

The Chase of the Golden Plate |Jacques Futrelle
When they travelled it was at the merest snail's pace, and they slept on the road, night after night, in houses prepared for them.

The Memoirs of Louis XIV., His Court and The Regency, Complete |Duc de Saint-Simon
Now and then he got up from this work, to look out of the window, or to pace the room, as if in quest of new ideas.

Methods of Authors |Hugo Erichsen

British Dictionary definitions for pace (1 of 3)

pace ¹

/ (peɪs) /

noun

a single step in walking
the distance covered by a step

a measure of length equal to the average length of a stride, approximately 3 feet See also Roman pace, geometric pace, military pace

speed of movement, esp of walking or running

rate or style of proceeding at some activity to live at a fast pace

manner or action of stepping, walking, etc; gait

any of the manners in which a horse or other quadruped walks or runs, the three principal paces being the walk, trot, and canter (or gallop)

a manner of moving, natural to the camel and sometimes developed in the horse, in which the two legs on the same side of the body are moved and put down at the same time

architect a step or small raised platform

keep pace with to proceed at the same speed as

put someone through his paces to test the ability of someone

set the pace to determine the rate at which a group runs or walks or proceeds at some other activity

stand the pace or stay the pace to keep up with the speed or rate of others

verb

(tr) to set or determine the pace for, as in a race

(often foll by about, up and down, etc) to walk with regular slow or fast paces, as in boredom, agitation, etc to pace the room

(tr often foll by out) to measure by paces to pace out the distance

(intr) to walk with slow regular strides to pace along the street

(intr) (of a horse) to move at the pace (the specially developed gait)

Word Origin for pace

C13: via Old French from Latin passūs step, from pandere to spread, unfold, extend (the legs as in walking)

British Dictionary definitions for pace (2 of 3)

pace ²

/ Latin (ˈpɑːkɛ, ˈpɑːtʃɛ, English ˈpeɪsɪ) /

preposition

with due deference to: used to acknowledge politely someone who disagrees with the speaker or writer

Word Origin for pace

C19: from Latin, from pāx peace

British Dictionary definitions for pace (3 of 3)

PACE

/ (peɪs) /

n acronym for (in England and Wales)

Police and Criminal Evidence Act

Idioms and Phrases with pace

pace

see change of pace; keep pace; put someone through his or her paces; set the pace; snail's pace.

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

pace