Advertisement

View synonyms for pace

pace

1

[ peys ]

noun

  1. a rate of movement, especially in stepping, walking, etc.:

    To raise your heart rate, walk at a brisk pace of five miles an hour.

  2. a rate of activity, progress, growth, performance, etc.; tempo:

    The pace of the building's construction had slowed almost to a halt.

  3. any of various standard linear measures, representing the space naturally measured by the movement of the feet in walking: roughly 30 to 40 inches (75 centimeters to 1 meter). Compare geometrical pace ( def ), military pace ( def ), Roman pace ( def ).
  4. a single step:

    She took three paces in the direction of the door.

  5. the distance covered in a step:

    Stand six paces inside the gates.

  6. a manner of stepping; gait.
  7. a gait of a horse or other animal in which the feet on the same side are lifted and put down together.
  8. any of the gaits of a horse.

    Synonyms: single foot, run, walk, gallop, canter, jog, trot, rack, amble, step

  9. a raised step or platform.


verb (used with object)

, paced, pac·ing.
  1. to set the rate of movement for, as in racing.
  2. to traverse or go over with steps:

    He paced the floor nervously.

  3. to measure by steps or by any of various standard linear measures representing the space naturally measured by the movement of the feet in walking.
  4. to train to a certain pace; exercise in pacing:

    to pace a horse.

  5. (of a horse) to run (a distance) at a pace:

    Hanover II paced a mile.

verb (used without object)

, paced, pac·ing.
  1. to take slow, regular steps.

    Antonyms: skip, scamper, scurry

  2. to walk up and down nervously, as to expend nervous energy.
  3. (of a horse) to go at a pace.

pace

2

[ pey-see, pah-chey; Latin pah-ke ]

preposition

  1. with all due respect to; with the permission of:

    I do not, pace my rival, hold with the ideas of the reactionists.

PACE

1

/ peɪs /

acronym for

  1. Police and Criminal Evidence Act
“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


pace

2

/ peɪs /

noun

    1. a single step in walking
    2. the distance covered by a step
  1. a measure of length equal to the average length of a stride, approximately 3 feet See also Roman pace geometric pace military pace
  2. speed of movement, esp of walking or running
  3. rate or style of proceeding at some activity

    to live at a fast pace

  4. manner or action of stepping, walking, etc; gait
  5. any of the manners in which a horse or other quadruped walks or runs, the three principal paces being the walk, trot, and canter (or gallop)
  6. a manner of moving, natural to the camel and sometimes developed in the horse, in which the two legs on the same side of the body are moved and put down at the same time
  7. architect a step or small raised platform
  8. keep pace with
    to proceed at the same speed as
  9. put someone through his paces
    to test the ability of someone
  10. set the pace
    to determine the rate at which a group runs or walks or proceeds at some other activity
  11. stand the pace or stay the pace
    to keep up with the speed or rate of others
“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

verb

  1. tr to set or determine the pace for, as in a race
  2. often foll byabout, up and down, etc to walk with regular slow or fast paces, as in boredom, agitation, etc

    to pace the room

  3. troften foll byout to measure by paces

    to pace out the distance

  4. intr to walk with slow regular strides

    to pace along the street

  5. intr (of a horse) to move at the pace (the specially developed gait)
“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

pace

3

/ ˈpɑːkɛ; ˈpeɪsɪ; ˈpɑːtʃɛ /

preposition

  1. with due deference to: used to acknowledge politely someone who disagrees with the speaker or writer
“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
Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of pace1

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English pas, from Old French, from Latin passus “step, pace,” equivalent to pad-, variant stem of pandere “to spread (the legs, in walking)” + -tus suffix of verbal action, with dt becoming ss

Origin of pace2

First recorded in 1860–65; from Latin pāce “in peace, by favor” (ablative singular of pāx “favor, pardon, grace, peace
Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of pace1

C13: via Old French from Latin passūs step, from pandere to spread, unfold, extend (the legs as in walking)

Origin of pace2

C19: from Latin, from pāx peace
Discover More

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms
  1. put through one's paces, to cause someone to demonstrate their ability or to show their skill:

    The French teacher put her students through their paces for the visitors.

  2. set the pace, to act as an example for others to equal or rival; be the most progressive or successful:

    an agency that sets the pace in advertising.

More idioms and phrases containing pace

see change of pace ; keep pace ; put someone through his or her paces ; set the pace ; snail's pace .
Discover More

Synonym Study

Pace, plod, trudge refer to a steady and monotonous kind of walking. Pace suggests steady, measured steps as of one completely lost in thought or impelled by some distraction: to pace up and down. Plod implies a slow, heavy, laborious, weary walk: The mailman plods his weary way. Trudge implies a spiritless but usually steady and doggedly persistent walk: The farmer trudged to his village to buy his supplies.
Discover More

Example Sentences

The ink flows at whatever pace you’re willing to try writing, and the slip-free grip prevents any unexpected errors or smears.

Those consumer numbers have been key for economists to gauge the pace and success of the recovery thus far.

From Fortune

Cash will be around for a long time, he says, but the economy is digitizing at a breakneck pace.

From Fortune

The iOS app features individual workouts, challenges, and multi-week training programs for all fitness levels, so you can train at your own pace whenever you want.

The seven-year veteran also ranks in the top 15 in pace among remaining players in the playoffs, coming in second behind Russell Westbrook among players averaging 15 or more minutes per game with a usage rate of 25 percent or higher.

Back in New York, the slow pace and inward focus of her yoga practice was less fulfilling.

But the jokes flow at such a torrential pace that duds are soon forgotten; the best are even Spamalot-worthy.

I notice he moves at a slightly slower pace than everyone else, and keeps his gestures compact.

A fire that he insists is only picking up pace, according to top-secret intelligence briefings.

“I thought I could progress in a much quicker pace and in much more meaningful ways if I was here,” she explained.

We have said it had been lightly laden at starting, which was the reason of the tremendous pace at which it travelled.

The Turks were no longer in mass but extended in several lines, less than a pace between each man.

From that time its reputation has kept pace with its cultivation, until it now enjoys a world wide popularity.

He turned to Rabecque, and the sight of his face sent the lackey back a pace or two in very fear.

From there on Piegan set a pace that taxed our horses' mettle—that was one consolation—we were well mounted.

Advertisement

Related Words

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement


pacchapace bowler