peace

[ pees ]

/ pis /

|||

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR peace ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

the normal, nonwarring condition of a nation, group of nations, or the world.

(often initial capital letter) an agreement or treaty between warring or antagonistic nations, groups, etc., to end hostilities and abstain from further fighting or antagonism: the Peace of Ryswick.

a state of mutual harmony between people or groups, especially in personal relations: Try to live in peace with your neighbors.

the normal freedom from civil commotion and violence of a community; public order and security: He was arrested for being drunk and disturbing the peace.

cessation of or freedom from any strife or dissension.

freedom of the mind from annoyance, distraction, anxiety, an obsession, etc.; tranquillity; serenity.

a state of tranquillity or serenity: May he rest in peace.

a state or condition conducive to, proceeding from, or characterized by tranquillity: the peace of a mountain resort.

silence; stillness: The cawing of a crow broke the afternoon's peace.

(initial capital letter, italics) a comedy (421 b.c.) by Aristophanes.

interjection

(used to express greeting or farewell or to request quietness or silence).

verb (used without object), peaced, peac·ing.

Obsolete. to be or become silent.

Nearby words

peabody, peabody bird, peabody, elizabeth palmer, peabody, endicott, peabody, george, peace, peace and quiet, peace corps, peace dividend, peace dove, peace offensive

Idioms

at peace,

in a state or relationship of nonbelligerence or concord; not at war.
untroubled; tranquil; content.
deceased.

hold/keep one's peace, to refrain from or cease speaking; keep silent: He told her to hold her peace until he had finished.

keep the peace, to maintain order; cause to refrain from creating a disturbance: Several officers of the law were on hand to keep the peace.

make one's peace with, to become reconciled with: He repaired the fence he had broken and made his peace with the neighbor on whose property it stood.

make peace, to ask for or arrange a cessation of hostilities or antagonism.

Origin of peace

1125–75; Middle English pes < Old French, variant of pais < Latin pax (stem pāc-); akin to pact

SYNONYMS FOR peace

2 armistice, truce, pact, accord.

3 rapport, concord, amity.

6 calm, quiet.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR peace ON THESAURUS.COM

ANTONYMS FOR peace

6 insecurity, disturbance.

SEE MORE ANTONYMS FOR peace ON THESAURUS.COM

Related forms

peace·less, adjectivepeace·less·ness, nounpeace·like, adjectivenon·peace, noun

self-peace, nounsem·i·peace, noun

Can be confusedpeace piece

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for peace

They called for peace, reconciliation, and the safe return of Father Gregorio.
Mexico’s Priests Are Marked for Murder|Jason McGahan|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
But without any peace talks on the horizon, everyone is now left to their own devices.
In the Middle East, the Two-State Solution Is Dead|Dean Obeidallah|January 2, 2015|DAILY BEAST
He says biking long distances is “like coming to peace in your mind and your body.”
Biking With the Bard|Kara Cutruzzula|December 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
What, I suspect, we really want from Santa is peace (and quiet) at home for the holidays.
Santa Fails One More Time|P. J. O’Rourke|December 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST

But others dismiss them, saying this is nothing but the daydream of people who long for some peace.
Has the Kurdish Victory at Sinjar Turned the Tide of ISIS War?|Niqash|December 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It removed his guilt, hushed his fears, and filled him with joy and peace in believing.
The Great Commission|C. H. (Charles Henry) Mackintosh
If they could not make such a peace, they were to erect a fort on the Rappahannock River or between it and the York.
Virginia Under Charles I And Cromwell, 1625-1660|Wilcomb E. Washburn
They all drank, and their hearts were warmed and peace reigned once more.
The Downfall|Emile Zola
We eat our bread in peace and comfort, and each man's property is his own.
For the Temple|G. A. Henty
So often I borrow trouble and cannot use it, when the peace that I possess is all that I need.
Leaves of Life|Margaret Bird Steinmetz

British Dictionary definitions for peace

peace

/ (piːs) /

noun

the state existing during the absence of war
(as modifier)peace negotiations

(modifier) denoting a person or thing symbolizing support for international peacepeace women

(often capital) a treaty marking the end of a war

a state of harmony between people or groups; freedom from strife

law and order within a state; absence of violence or other disturbancea breach of the peace

absence of mental anxiety (often in the phrase peace of mind)

a state of stillness, silence, or serenity

at peace

in a state of harmony or friendship
in a state of serenity
deadthe old lady is at peace now

hold one's peace or keep one's peace to keep silent

keep the peace to maintain or refrain from disturbing law and order

make one's peace with to become reconciled with

make peace to bring hostilities to an end

verb

(intr) mainly obsolete to be or become silent or still

Word Origin for peace

C12: from Old French pais, from Latin pāx

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

Word Origin and History for peace

peace

mid-12c., "freedom from civil disorder," from Anglo-French pes, Old French pais "peace, reconciliation, silence, permission" (11c., Modern French paix), from Latin pacem (nominative pax) "compact, agreement, treaty of peace, tranquility, absence of war" (source of Provençal patz, Spanish paz, Italian pace), from PIE *pag-/*pak- "fasten," related to pacisci "to covenant or agree" (see pact).

Replaced Old English frið, also sibb, which also meant "happiness." Modern spelling is 1500s, reflecting vowel shift. Sense in peace of mind is from c.1200. Used in various greetings from c.1300, from Biblical Latin pax, Greek eirene, which were used by translators to render Hebrew shalom, properly "safety, welfare, prosperity."

Sense of "quiet" is attested by 1300; meaning "absence or cessation of war or hostility" is attested from c.1300. As a type of hybrid tea rose (developed 1939 in France by Francois Meilland), so called from 1944. Native American peace pipe is first recorded 1760. Peace-officer attested from 1714. Peace offering is from 1530s. Phrase peace with honor first recorded 1607 (in "Coriolanus"). The U.S. Peace Corps was set up March 1, 1962. Peace sign, both the hand gesture and the graphic, attested from 1968.

Idioms and Phrases with peace

peace

In addition to the idiom beginning with peace

peace and quiet

also see:

at peace
hold one's tongue (peace)
keep the peace
leave someone in peace
make one's peace with
make peace

peace

noun

interjection

verb (used without object), peaced, peac·ing.

RELATED CONTENT

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Idioms

Origin of peace

Examples from the Web for peace

British Dictionary definitions for peace

peace

noun

verb

Word Origin for peace

Word Origin and History for peace

peace

Idioms and Phrases with peace

peace