pace

I UK [peɪs] / US noun
Word forms "pace":
singular pace plural paces
**

1) [singular/uncountable] the speed at which something happens or is done

the pace of something:

The pace of technological change increased steadily during the 20th century.

the pace of life:

The pace of life in the village is slow and easy.

at your own pace (= as slowly or quickly as you like):

The course allows students to progress at their own pace.

2)

a) [countable] a step that you take when you walk or run

take a pace:

Charlie took a pace backwards.

I took a few paces towards her.

b) a unit for measuring distance based on the length of a single step when you walk

Twenty paces or so beyond the shed, the road twisted out of sight.

3)

a) [uncountable] the ability to run quickly

a player with pace as well as skill

b) [singular] the speed at which you move

slow/quicken your pace:

He slowed his pace to observe where Jerome went.

at a leisurely/brisk pace:

We proceeded at a leisurely pace down the corridor.

4) [uncountable] an exciting quality that something such as a book or film has, because of the quick and interesting way in which the story develops

Her plays lack the pace and tension of her thrillers.

•

keep pace (with) — to develop or progress at the same rate as something else; to move at the same speed as someone or something else

The government is not allowing salaries to keep pace with inflation.

Ron had to run to keep pace with Guido.

put someone through their paces/put something through its paces — to make a person or machine show how good they are at doing something

The test drivers put the new models through their paces.

- gather pace

- go through your paces

- set the pace

- stand the pace

II UK [peɪs] / US verb
Word forms "pace":
present tense I/you/we/they pace he/she/it paces present participle pacing past tense paced past participle paced
*

1) [intransitive/transitive] to walk with regular steps around a small area, because you are worried, nervous, or impatient

pace up and down:

He paced up and down between the kitchen and the living-room.

pace about/around:

She was pacing restlessly around the room as she talked.

pace the room/floor:

I paced the room, my anxiety increasing.

2) [transitive] to establish a speed for another runner in a race

3) [transitive, usually passive] to make the story in a book, film etc develop in a particular way

His films were always paced so as to create maximum suspense.

•

- pace yourself

Phrasal verbs:

- pace out

III UK [ˈpɑːtʃeɪ] / UK [ˈpeɪsɪ] / US [ˈpeɪsɪ] preposition formal

used before someone's name for saying politely that you disagree with their opinion about a subject