[pace] n [ME pas, fr. OF, step, fr. L passus, fr. pandere to spread--more at fathom] (14c) 1 a: rate of movement; esp: an established rate of locomotion b: rate of progress; specif: parallel rate of growth or development "supplies kept ~ with demand" c: an example to be emulated; specif: first place in a competition "three strokes off the ~ --Time" d (1): rate of performance or delivery: tempo; esp: speed "serves with great ~" "a ~ bowler in cricket" (2): rhythmic animation: fluency "writes with color, with zest, and with ~ --Amy Loveman"
2: a manner of walking: tread 3 a: step 2a(1) b: any of various units of distance based on the length of a human step
4. a pl: an exhibition or test of skills or capacities "the trainer put the tiger through its ~s" b: gait; esp: a fast 2-beat gait (as of the horse) in which the legs move in lateral pairs and support the animal alternately on the right and left legs
[2]pace vb paced ; pac.ing vi (1513) 1 a: to walk with often slow or measured tread b: to move along: proceed
2: to go at a pace--used esp. of a horse ~ vt 1 a: to measure by pacing--often used with off "paced off a 10-yard penalty" b: to cover at a walk "could hear him pacing the floor"
2: to cover (a course) by pacing--used of a horse 3 a: to set or regulate the pace of "taught them how to ~ their solos for ... impact --Richard Goldstein"; also: to establish a moderate or steady pace for (oneself) b (1): to go before: precede (2): to set an example for: lead c: to keep pace with [3]pa.ce prep [L, abl. of pac-, pax peace, permission--more at pact] (1863): contrary to the opinion of--usu. used as an expression of deference to someone's contrary opinion--usu. ital. "easiness is a virtue in grammar, ~ old-fashioned grammarians --Philip Howard"