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

Example sentences from the Web for pacing

We see the pacing and its effect on the people below, all in one shot.

Alfred Hitchcock’s Fade to Black: The Great Director’s Final Days |David Freeman |December 13, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
The animation is beautifully rendered and the storytelling top notch even if the pacing is, at times, erratic.

This Author Kills More Darlings Than George R.R. Martin |David Levesley |September 24, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
When Bratton descended to the trains, a man was pacing the platform edge, ranting in Spanish.

My Patrol With the NYPD’s Bill Bratton |Michael Daly |March 14, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
His assistant manager, DOUG STAMPER, is agitated, pacing back and forth, while UNDERWOOD calmly eats a breadstick.

Frank Underwood Will Not Tolerate Insubordination in This Olive Garden |Kelly Williams Brown |February 24, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

"I don't know what you're thinking coming here," Walt snaps, pacing like a caged beast.

The Daily Beast Staff Picks Their Favorite ‘Breaking Bad’ Moments (VIDEO) |The Daily Beast |September 28, 2013 |DAILY BEAST
Harley Greenoak, pacing his horse up the valley, noted the fact, and—read it at its real meaning.

Harley Greenoak's Charge |Bertram Mitford
I wandered into the governor's beautiful garden, and, pacing up and down, pondered what the lively Lucetta had said.

Humphrey Bold |Herbert Strang
"Well, I can't make head or tail of it," said Nugent, rising and pacing the room.

At Sunwich Port, Complete |W.W. Jacobs
And there, pacing the floor before her, was her father, the great plantation owner.

Forbidden Cargoes |Roy J. Snell
I found him in his gloomy chamber at the inn, pacing slowly up and down.

Eugene Pickering |Henry James

British Dictionary definitions for pacing (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 pacing (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 pacing (3 of 3)

PACE

/ (peɪs) /

n acronym for (in England and Wales)

Police and Criminal Evidence Act

Idioms and Phrases with pacing

pace

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

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

pace

noun

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

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

Idioms for pace

Origin of pace

SYNONYMS FOR pace

ANTONYMS FOR pace

Words nearby pace

Example sentences from the Web for pacing

British Dictionary definitions for pacing (1 of 3)

noun

verb

Word Origin for pace

British Dictionary definitions for pacing (2 of 3)

preposition

Word Origin for pace

British Dictionary definitions for pacing (3 of 3)

n acronym for (in England and Wales)

Idioms and Phrases with pacing

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

pace

noun

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

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

Idioms for pace

Origin of pace

SYNONYMS FOR pace

ANTONYMS FOR pace

Words nearby pace

Words related to pacing

Example sentences from the Web for pacing

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []) .push({}); British Dictionary definitions for pacing (1 of 3)

noun

verb

Word Origin for pace

British Dictionary definitions for pacing (2 of 3)

preposition

Word Origin for pace

British Dictionary definitions for pacing (3 of 3)

n acronym for (in England and Wales)

Idioms and Phrases with pacing

British Dictionary definitions for pacing (1 of 3)