PACE


Meaning of PACE in English

I. pace 1 W3 /peɪs/ BrE AmE noun

[ Date: 1200-1300 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: pas 'step' , from Latin passus ]

1 . SPEED OF EVENTS/CHANGES [singular] the speed at which something happens or is done

pace of

The pace of change in our lives is becoming faster and faster.

at a steady/slow etc pace

Public spending continues to rise at a steady pace.

2 . WALK/RUN [singular] the speed at which someone walks, runs, or moves

pace of

You need to step up the pace of your exercises.

at a slow/leisurely/brisk etc pace

Lucy set off at a leisurely pace back to the hotel.

He quickened his pace, longing to be home.

Traffic slowed to a walking pace.

3 . STEP [countable] a single step when you are running or walking, or the distance you move in one step

pace backwards/towards/forwards etc

He took a pace towards the door.

Rebecca walked a few paces behind her mum.

4 . keep pace (with something/somebody) to change or increase as fast as something else, or to move as fast as someone else:

Salaries have not always kept pace with inflation.

The supply of materials cannot keep pace with demand.

Slow down! I can’t keep pace with you.

5 . go through your paces ( also show your paces ) to show how well you can do something

6 . put somebody/something through their paces to make a person, vehicle, animal etc show how well they can do something:

The test driver puts all the cars through their paces.

7 . set the pace

a) if a company sets the pace, it does something before its competitors or to a better standard

set the pace in

Japanese firms have been setting the pace in electronic engineering.

b) ( also set a brisk/cracking etc pace British English ) to go faster than the other competitors in a race, who then try to achieve the same speed:

The Italians set the pace for the first eight laps.

8 . force the pace to make something happen or develop more quickly than it would do normally

force the pace on

measures designed to force the pace on alternative energy policies

9 . be able to stand the pace to be able to deal with situations where you are very busy and have to think and act very quickly:

If you can stand the pace, working in advertising pays well.

• • •

COLLOCATIONS

■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + pace

▪ rapid/fast

The rapid pace of change creates uncertainty.

▪ slow

The pace of life in the countryside is slower.

▪ a steady pace

The economy was growing at a slow but steady pace.

▪ at your own pace (=at the pace that suits you)

This allows each child to learn at his or her own pace.

▪ at a snail’s pace (=very slowly)

Reform is proceeding at a snail’s pace.

▪ a breakneck pace (=extremely fast)

Singapore prospered and modernized at a breakneck pace.

▪ a hectic/frantic pace (=a very fast and hurried speed)

We worked at a hectic pace.

■ verbs

▪ the pace quickens/accelerates

The pace of change is quickening.

▪ the pace slows/slackens

After a surge in exports, the pace slackened considerably the following year.

▪ gather pace (=happen more quickly)

Support for the campaign is gathering pace.

▪ keep up the pace (=continue to do something or happen as quickly as before)

China's society is transforming but can it keep up the pace?

▪ keep up with the pace (=do something as fast as something else is happening or being done)

It's essential that we constantly update our skills and keep up with the pace of change.

■ phrases

▪ the pace of change

The pace of change accelerated dramatically in the early 1980s.

▪ the pace of life

Here, the sun shines every day and the pace of life is slower.

▪ the pace of development

The pace of development in computer graphics is amazing.

▪ the pace of reform

Some senior party figures favor a slower pace of reform.

■ COMMON ERRORS

► Do not say ' in your own pace ' or ' on your own pace '. Say at your own pace .

II. pace 2 BrE AmE verb

1 . [intransitive always + adverb/preposition, transitive] to walk first in one direction and then in another many times, especially because you are nervous:

I found Mark at the hospital, pacing restlessly up and down.

pace the floor/room

Sam stood up and paced the floor, deep in thought.

2 . pace yourself

a) to control the speed that you move at in a race, so that you still have energy left near the end:

Nicky paced herself and came through the ranks to win.

b) to organize your life and activities so that you do not have too much to do:

You need to pace yourself and decide which tasks are the most important.

3 . [transitive] ( also pace something ↔ off , pace something ↔ out ) to measure a distance by walking across it with steps of equal length:

The director paced out the length of the stage.

• • •

THESAURUS

▪ walk to move forward by putting one foot in front of the other:

I missed the bus so I decided to walk.

|

We’ve walked about eight miles today.

▪ wander to walk without any clear purpose or direction:

They wandered around the narrow streets of the old city.

▪ stride to walk with long steps in a determined, confident, or angry way:

A man in a suit came striding purposefully into the hall.

|

She strode onto the stage and began to address the audience.

▪ pace to walk first in one direction and then in another many times, especially because you are nervous:

Nick was pacing up and down, waiting for the phone to ring.

▪ march to walk quickly with firm regular steps – used especially about soldiers or someone who is angry:

The troops marched past with smart uniform and good discipline.

|

Sheila marched into the office and demanded an apology.

▪ wade to walk through deep water:

We had to wade across the river.

▪ stomp to walk putting your feet down very hard, especially because you are angry:

She turned and stomped off without looking back.

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English.      Longman - Словарь современного английского языка.