mace

¹ American  

[meys] / meɪs /

noun

1. a clublike armor-breaking weapon of war, often with a flanged or spiked metal head, used chiefly in the Middle Ages.

2. a ceremonial staff carried before or by certain officials as a symbol of office.

3. macebearer.

4. Billiards.  a light stick with a flat head, formerly used at times instead of a cue.

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mace ² American  

[meys] / meɪs /

noun

1. a spice ground from the layer between a nutmeg shell and its outer husk, resembling nutmeg in flavor.

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Mace ³ American  

[meys] / meɪs /

Trademark.

1. Also called Chemical Mace.  a nonlethal spray containing purified tear gas and chemical solvents that temporarily incapacitate a person mainly by causing eye and skin irritations: used especially as a means of subduing rioters.

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verb (used with object)

Maced, Macing

1. (sometimes lowercase)  to attack with Mace spray.

mace ¹ British  

/ meɪs /

noun

1. a club, usually having a spiked metal head, used esp in the Middle Ages

2. a ceremonial staff of office carried by certain officials

3. See macebearer

4. an early form of billiard cue

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Mace ² British  

/ meɪs /

noun

1. a liquid causing tears and nausea, used as a spray for riot control, etc

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verb

1. (tr; sometimes not capital) to use Mace on

mace ³ British  

/ meɪs /

noun

1. a spice made from the dried aril round the nutmeg seed

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Etymology

Origin of mace¹

1250–1300; Middle English < Old French (compare French masse ) large mallet < Vulgar Latin *mattea; akin to Latin matteola kind of mallet; compare Sanskrit matya harrow

Origin of mace²

1350–1400; Middle English, back formation from macis (taken as plural) < Middle French < Latin maccis a spice

Origin of Mace³

1965–70; probably from mace ¹ ( def. ) (in the sense “clublike weapon”)

Example Sentences

The effect here isn’t simply to wow us by Hemsworth taking some bear mace to the face or threatening to plummet from a frightening height, although those possibilities also make good TV.

From Salon

Our vicarious shudders come only from the sound design, which gives a horrific squelch to the shock of a medieval mace slamming into Nathan’s back.

From Los Angeles Times

They were mixed with the go-to expensive spices of the day: cinnamon, nutmeg, mace, cloves, ginger and sugar.

From Salon

He said that the values inscribed on the mace his mother had given the Parliament 25 years ago - wisdom, justice, compassion and integrity - were the "most Scottish of values".

From BBC

Some protesters stormed parliament last month setting part of it on fire and stealing the mace, the symbol of the legislature's authority.

From BBC

Related Words

• baton