See Also: PACE(dictionary)
pace(medicine)
pace(1)(dictionary)
pace(2)(dictionary)
pace(3)(dictionary)
pace(4)(dictionary)
half-pace(dictionary)
Pace - Poker(gambling)
pace 1, noun(dictionary)
pace 2, verb(dictionary)

pace(1) (iou)



pace noun1. ME.
[Old & mod. French pas from Latin passus step, pace, lit. 'stretch (of the leg)', from pass- pa. ppl stem of pandere stretch, extend, spread. Cf. PASS noun1.]
I. A step.
A single separate movement made by the leg in walking, running, or dancing; a step. ME.
R. Dahl She took a couple of paces backwards.
b. A step or stage in any process. Only in 17.
The distance covered in a step by an individual; this as a unit of length, either the distance from where one foot is set down to where the other is set down (about 75 cm or 30 inches), or the distance between successive stationary positions of the same foot (about 1 1 / 2 metres or 5 feet). ME.
H. Maundrell Five hundred and seventy of my paces in length. J. Clavell His blow was so savage..that the oil seller had walked on a pace before falling.
II. The action or rate of stepping.
a. The manner or action of stepping when walking or running, esp. as regards speed; gait, step. ME.
Longfellow I steal with quiet pace, My pitcher at the well to fill. J. B. Priestley Mr. Oakroyd walked on..quickening his pace.
b. One's course or way when walking or running. ME-E18.
c. Movement, motion; manner of going on. LME-E17.
A walking pace, walking as distinguished from running etc. Only in ME.
A gait of a horse, mule, etc.; spec. (a) any of the recognized trained gaits of a horse etc., as walk, trot, canter, gallop; (b) the lateral gait of a horse etc. in which both legs on the same side are lifted together. LME.
E. Hartley Edwards The American gaited horses..used paces which are now lost to Europe.
Rate of movement in general, or of action represented as movement; the speed with which a story unfolds or a fictional plot develops; Sport (esp. Cricket) the speed of a ball or of its delivery; the state of a wicket as affecting the speed of a ball. LME.
Athletic Journal A pitcher cannot always deceive the batter but a change of pace will..assist him. Times Imagine how dangerous he might be on wickets with any pace in them. S. Brett The dialogue which ran up to it showed good pace. J. Uglow The pace of life had accelerated. Wall Street Journal The U.S. Mint sold 86,500 ounces of the coins, more than double..January's pace.
III. Other senses.
A step of a stair or the like; a part of a floor raised by a step; a stage, a platform. Long rare. ME.
A passage, a narrow way; esp. a pass between mountains, bogs, woods, etc.; a strait. ME-M17.
A passage in or section of a narrative; a chapter, a canto. ME-E17.
An aisle of a church. L15-E19.
A company or herd of asses. rare. L15.
Phrases: force the pace: see FORCE verb1. go the pace to go along at great speed; fig. proceed with reckless vigour; indulge in dissipation. hold pace, keep pace advance at an equal rate, keep up, (with). last the pace = stand the pace below. mend one's pace: see MEND verb. off the pace slower than the leading horse in the early part of a race; gen. behind the leader in any race or contest, not performing satisfactorily. put through his or her paces, put through its paces test or prove the abilities in action of (esp.) a person or a horse. set the pace set the speed of something, esp. by leading. snail's pace: see SNAIL noun. stand the pace, stay the pace be able to keep up with others.
Comb.: pace bowler Cricket: who delivers the ball at high speed without spin; pace car: that sets the pace for the first lap of a race but does not take part in it, or that controls the pace in temporarily hazardous conditions; pace lap: made before a race by all the participating cars, to warm up the engines; paceman Cricket = pace bowler above; pace-note: in rally driving, providing information about the characteristics of a particular course, esp. with regard to advisable speeds for each section (usu. in pl.); pace-setter a person who sets the pace, trend, or fashion; a leader in a particular field; pace-setting adjective that sets the pace, trend, or fashion; pace-stick Military: used to measure paces.