lace

[ leys ]

/ leɪs /

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See synonyms for: lace / laced / lacing / lacelike on Thesaurus.com

noun

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

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

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

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

verb (used with object), laced, lac·ing.

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

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

to interlace or intertwine.

to adorn or trim with lace.

to add a small amount of alcoholic liquor or other substance to (food or drink): He took his coffee laced with brandy.

to lash, beat, or thrash.

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

to mark or streak, as with color.

verb (used without object), laced, lac·ing.

to be fastened with a lace: These shoes lace up the side.

to attack physically or verbally (often followed by into): The teacher laced into his students.

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Origin of lace

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

OTHER WORDS FROM lace

lacelike, adjectivelacer, nounre·lace, verb, re·laced, re·lac·ing.well-laced, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use lace in a sentence

You can get the boot in two lengths, high or mid, to protect from heavy snowfall, plus they are pull-on, so you won’t have to worry about any tiny gaps from tongues and laces that could let in moisture.
Best snow boots: Trudge confidently through snowfall|PopSci Commerce Team|February 17, 2021|Popular-Science
The creative engineers behind Nike’s signature designs came up with the idea to create a bi-stable hinge that enables the ease of putting on and taking off the shoe without the need for laces.
Nike Unveils The Nike Go FlyEase, Its First Hands-Free Shoe|Jasmine Grant|February 2, 2021|Essence.com
To keep the shoe in both positions, a tensioner wraps around the outside of the shoe, which does the tightening and securing that would normally go to the laces.
Nike’s lace-free sneakers offer a perfect fit you simply step into|Claire Maldarelli|February 2, 2021|Popular-Science
It has a hard fight against the humble shoe lace, which hasn’t failed us yet.
Nike’s lace-free sneakers offer a perfect fit you simply step into|Claire Maldarelli|February 2, 2021|Popular-Science

The president and first lady Rosalynn Carter stopped twice to retie the laces of their 9-year-old daughter Amy’s boots.
A presidential inauguration for the history books|Marylou Tousignant|January 20, 2021|Washington Post
Lacer: a lappet; applied to a margin with irregular, broad and deep emarginations, leaving lappet-like intervals.
Explanation of Terms Used in Entomology|John. B. Smith
Lacer is derived from laqs, a rope, a noose; and this comes from laqueus.
A History of Inventions, Discoveries, and Origins, Volume II (of 2)|Johann Beckman
Get something with plenty of whalebones ready and a good tough lacer.
Dr. Hardhack's Prescription|Katharine McDowell Rice

British Dictionary definitions for lace

lace

/ (leɪs) /

noun

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

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

ornamental braid often used on military uniforms, etc

a dash of spirits added to a beverage

verb

to fasten (shoes, etc) with a lace

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

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

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

(tr; usually passive and foll by with) to streak or mark with lines or coloursthe sky was laced with red

(tr) to intertwine; interlace

(tr) informal to give a sound beating to

Derived forms of lace

lacelike, adjectivelacer, noun

Word Origin for lace

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

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

lace

Origin of lace

OTHER WORDS FROM lace

Words related to lace

How to use lace in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for lace

Derived forms of lace

Word Origin for lace