I. pace ˈpās noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English pas, from Old French, from Latin passus step, pace, from passus, past participle of pandere to spread, unfold — more at fathom
1.
a. : rate of locomotion : rapidity with which distance is traversed
led off at a good pace so that they could cover as much ground as possible — Fred Majdalany
the limousine moved at an easy pace — John Hersey
the river broadens, slackening its pace as it spreads out — Ted Sumner
especially : an established rate of locomotion
the challenger made the pace hot from the start — G.E.Odd
b. : rate of progress : rapidity of development
the pace of developments in science, agriculture, business, politics, international relations … is so swift — Lister Hill
specifically : a parallel rate of growth or development
as the demand for livestock … grew, the development of shipping facilities kept pace — American Guide Series: Minnesota
c.
(1) : a rash or headlong course
youth, sped by the ancient dream that seemed so new, … went the pace with a high heart — C.E.Montague
(2) : an example to be emulated
one learns to go to church … because other members of the community set the pace for this kind of activity — Edward Sapir
specifically : first place in a competition
three strokes off the pace — Time
d.
(1) : rate of performance or delivery : timing , tempo
see the story unwind … with an amiable pace and plenty of time — Stark Young
housewives, their routine quickened by the pace of wartime living — Monsanto Magazine
the ease and pace of his turns and the precision of his beats place him in the line of the great Russian dancers — Caryl Brahms
specifically : speed
his stories move at a breathless pace — Henry Treece
the pace at which an audience can absorb ideas differs with the ideas — Henning Nelms
the pitcher … whips the ball, varying pace , swerve and flight — Dict. of Games
(2) : rhythmic animation : fluency
writes with color, with zest, and with pace — Amy Loveman
e.
(1) : the speed of a bowled ball or of bowling
the bowler frequently changed pace
(2) : the degree to which a cricket wicket affects the speed of a ball rebounding from it
difference in pace of matting and turf wickets
f. : a device in a loom to maintain even tension in pacing the take-up on the woven fabric
g. : routine
the circus is change of pace — beauty against our daily ugliness — John Steinbeck
2.
a. : a manner of walking : tread
walked slowly, with even, unhesitating pace — Willa Cather
b. obsolete : a route of travel : course
we will direct our pace downward now — James Howell
3.
a. : a movement of the foot over a space to a new position in walking, running, or dancing : step
took a pace or two in the room — Guy McCrone
b.
(1) : the space traversed by one step — used as an indefinite unit of measure
cannot go five paces without seeing some wretched object — Irish Digest
(2) : any of various units of distance based on the length of a human step at a specified time (as for quick time 30 inches and for double time 36 inches) — see roman pace
4.
a.
(1) : a broad step or platform : a flat portion in a run of stairs
(2) : a raised part of a floor (as around an altar)
b. obsolete : a narrow passageway : defile
making paces through woods and thickets — Meredith Hanmer
c. : a passageway running the length of a church between seats
5.
a. : an exhibition of skills or capacities
bird dogs going through their paces in the most alien environment — J.W.Cross
the test pilots … put the new planes through their paces — H.H.Arnold & I.C.Eaker
specifically : the various gaits of a horse (as the walk, trot, canter, gallop, and amble)
b. : a fast 2-beat gait of the horse and some other quadrupeds in which the legs move in lateral bipeds and support the animal alternately on the right and left pair of legs — compare trot
II. pace verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
intransitive verb
1.
a. : to go with slow or measured tread : walk
a stone platform where meditative persons might pace to and fro — W.B.Yeats
b. : to move along : proceed
they pace through the obligations of their marriage with … cynicism — Times Literary Supplement
2. : to move with a lateral gait — usually used of a horse or dog
pacing … is characterized by its pistonlike drive with parallel sets of legs traveling together — F.A.Wrensch
transitive verb
1.
a. : to measure by pacing — often used with off
pace off a 10-yard penalty
had often wondered how far west his land extended, but had never taken the time to pace it off — O.E.Rölvaag
b. : to cover at a walk
was slowly pacing this narrow enclosure, in his accustomed walk — Sheridan Le Fanu
2. archaic : to execute by pacing
paces a hornpipe among the eggs — Sir Walter Scott
3.
a. obsolete : to train (a horse) to pace
b. of a horse : to cover (a course) by pacing
paced the mile track in 1:55 flat — American Guide Series: Minnesota
4.
a. : to set or regulate the pace of
traffic, paced by clanging cable cars, climbs up and down at cautious speeds — G.W.Long
advertising must be paced so that ads increase in size and frequency as Christmas gets closer — National Furniture Review
must pace himself, know what his physique will stand — Blair Moody
specifically : to run in advance of (a teammate) as a pacemaker in racing
b. : to let out or take up at regular intervals in weaving
pace the warp
pace the web
c.
(1) : to go before : precede
next in line, paced by the scoutmaster
paced by tanks … infantrymen were storming a narrow gorge — Time
specifically : to draw away from (other competitors) in a race
(2) : to set an example for : excel in accomplishment : lead
food prices were pacing the upsurge — Newsweek
oil advertisers paced all other classifications in space gains — Wall Street Journal
specifically : to be high scorer of
paced the team with three hits in the sixth game — Robert Shaplen
d. : to match the progress of : keep pace with
schools of porpoises pace the plodding ship — Tom Marvel
the speed of the machine may be closely regulated to pace the packing operation — Modern Packaging
his own growth … paced that of his science — D.W.Atchley
5. : to establish the tempo of : control the rhythm and flow of
the dynamic director paced the show like a fast 440-yard relay — Henry Hewes
paced the music with … sure and tasteful touch — Winthrop Sargeant
III. pace noun
Usage: usually capitalized
Etymology: Middle English (northern dialect) pase, paas, from Middle French pasche, from Old French — more at pasch
dialect chiefly England : easter
IV. pa·ce ˈpāsē preposition
Etymology: Latin, abl. of pac-, pax peace — more at peace
: with all due respect or courtesy to
I do not, pace … the correspondents, claim to have made any “discovery” — E.M.Almedingen
pace the feminists, I believe my own sex is largely responsible for this … impertinent curiosity — Katharine F. Gerould