lace

[leys]

noun

1. a netlike ornamental fabric made of threads by hand or machine.

2. a cord or string for holding or drawing together, as when passed through holes in opposite edges.

3. ornamental cord or braid, especially of gold or silver, used to decorate uniforms, hats, etc.

4. a small amount of alcoholic liquor or other substance added to food or drink.

verb (used with object)

laced, lacing 

1. to fasten, draw together, or compress by or as if by means of a lace.

2. to pass (a cord, leather strip, etc.), as through holes.

3. to interlace or intertwine.

4. to adorn or trim with lace.

5. to add a small amount of alcoholic liquor or other substance to (food or drink).

   He took his coffee laced with brandy.

6. to lash, beat, or thrash.

7. to compress the waist of (a person) by drawing tight the laces of a corset, or the like.

8. to mark or streak, as with color.

verb (used without object)

laced, lacing 

1. to be fastened with a lace.

   These shoes lace up the side.

2. to attack physically or verbally (often followed byinto ).

   The teacher laced into his students.

lace

/ leɪs /

noun

1. a delicate decorative fabric made from cotton, silk, etc, woven in an open web of different symmetrical patterns and figures

2. a cord or string drawn through holes or eyelets or around hooks to fasten a shoe or garment

3. ornamental braid often used on military uniforms, etc

4. a dash of spirits added to a beverage

verb

1. to fasten (shoes, etc) with a lace

2. (tr) to draw (a cord or thread) through holes, eyes, etc, as when tying shoes

3. (tr) to compress the waist of (someone), as with a corset

4. (tr) to add a small amount of alcohol or drugs to (food or drink)

5. to streak or mark with lines or colours

   the sky was laced with red

6. (tr) to intertwine; interlace

7. informal,  (tr) to give a sound beating to

Other Word Forms

• lacer noun
• lacelike adjective
• relace verb
• well-laced adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of lace¹

1175–1225; (noun) Middle English las < Old French laz, las ≪ Latin laqueus noose; (v.) Middle English lasen < Middle French lacier, lasser, lachier ( French lacer ) ≪ Latin laqueāre to enclose in a noose, trap

Word History and Origins

Origin of lace¹

C13 las, from Old French laz, from Latin laqueus noose

Example Sentences

Elsewhere in the crowd, bewilderment laced with anger when families who had been informed that their loved ones would be released discovered they weren’t on the buses after all.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Her innings, laced with 21 fours and three sixes, set up the record chase and rewrote the history books, eclipsing Sri Lanka's previous best of 302 against South Africa in Potchefstroom in 2024.

Read more on Barron's

Her knock of 63 off 85 balls, laced with two fours and two sixes, provided the spine of the innings.

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Whether you watch with the original Spanish track or the English dub, the dialogue is laced with phrases and words in the Nahuatl language, the native tongue of the Aztecs.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Bellingham's superstar status meant Tuchel's selection was laced with risk, even though it was shaped by common sense as he had only started one game for Real Madrid following shoulder surgery.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• fortify 
• interweave 
• mix 
• spike 
• strap