a rate of movement, esp. in walking, etc.; speed:[usually singular]to set a rapid pace.
a rate of doing something, of activity, etc.; tempo:[usually singular]The number of students grew at a very rapid pace last year.
a single step:took a few paces toward her.
the distance covered in a step:standing only a few paces apart.
v.
to regulate the speed of, as in racing:[~ + object]That runner paced the others for the first ten miles of the marathon.
to cross with regular, sometimes slow, steps: [~ + object]paced the floor nervously.[no object]paced up and down.
to measure by paces:[~ +off+object]He paced off a few feet from the wall.
Idioms
keep pace, to do or work at the same rate (as): [no object]They were working too fast for me to keep pace.[~ + with + object]Newspapers could hardly keep pace with developments during the war.
Idiomsput through one's paces, to cause to demonstrate a set of practiced routines:The teacher put us through our paces when the parents came to visit the class.
Idiomsset the pace, to act as an example for others to equal; be first or first-rate:We want our company to set the pace for sales in the whole region.
pace1(pās),USA pronunciationn., v.,paced, pac•ing. n.
a rate of movement, esp. in stepping, walking, etc.:to walk at a brisk pace of five miles an hour.
a rate of activity, progress, growth, performance, etc.; tempo.
Weights and Measuresany of various standard linear measures, representing the space naturally measured by the movement of the feet in walking: roughly 30 to 40 in. (75 cm to 1 m). Cf. geometrical pace, military pace, Roman pace.
a single step:She took three paces in the direction of the door.
the distance covered in a step:Stand six paces inside the gates.
a manner of stepping; gait.
a gait of a horse or other animal in which the feet on the same side are lifted and put down together.
any of the gaits of a horse.
a raised step or platform.
Idiomsput through one's paces, to cause someone to demonstrate his or her ability or to show her or his skill:The French teacher put her pupils through their paces for the visitors.
Idiomsset 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.
v.t.
to set the pace for, as in racing.
to traverse or go over with steps:He paced the floor nervously.
to measure by paces.
to train to a certain pace; exercise in pacing:to pace a horse.
(of a horse) to run (a distance) at a pace:Hanover II paced a mile.
v.i.
to take slow, regular steps.
to walk up and down nervously, as to expend nervous energy.
(of a horse) to go at a pace.
Latin passus step, pace, equivalent. to pad-, variant stem of pandere to spread (the legs, in walking) + -tus suffix of verb, verbal action, with dtss
Old French
Middle English pas 1250–1300
8. step, amble, rack, trot, jog, canter, gallop, walk, run, singlefoot. 17.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.
17. scurry, scamper, skip.
pa•ce2(pā′sē, pä′chā; Lat. pä′ke),USA pronunciationprep.
with all due respect to; with the permission of:I do not, pace my rival, hold with the ideas of the reactionists.
Latin pāce in peace, by favor (ablative singular of pāxpeace, favor, pardon, grace)
a measure of length equal to the average length of a stride, approximately 3 feet
speed of movement, esp of walking or running
rate or style of proceeding at some activity: to live at a fast pace
manner or action of stepping, walking, etc; gait
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)
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
keep pace with ⇒ to proceed at the same speed as
put someone through his or her paces ⇒ to test the ability of someone
set the pace ⇒ to determine the rate at which a group runs or walks or proceeds at some other activity
vb
(transitive) to set or determine the pace for, as in a race
often followed byabout, up and down, etc: to walk with regular slow or fast paces, as in boredom, agitation, etc: to pace the room
(transitive) often followed byout: to measure by paces: to pace out the distance
(intransitive) to walk with slow regular strides
(intransitive) (of a horse) to move at the pace (the specially developed gait)
Etymology: 13th Century: via Old French from Latin passūs step, from pandere to spread, unfold, extend (the legs as in walking)
paceLatin:/ˈpɑːkɛ; ˈpɑːtʃɛ; English:ˈpeɪsɪ/prep
with due deference to: used to acknowledge politely someone who disagrees with the speaker or writer
Etymology: 19th Century: from Latin, from pāx peace