lace

1 of 2

verb

ˈlās 

laced; lacing

transitive verb

1

: to draw together the edges of by or as if by a lace passed through eyelets

laces her fingers behind her head

2

: to draw or pass (something, such as a lace) through something (such as eyelets)

3

: to confine or compress by tightening laces of a garment

4

a

: to adorn with or as if with lace

the surrounding countryside was laced with villages and hamlets

—L. C. Heinemann

b

: to mark with streaks of color

5

: beat, lash

6

a

: to add a dash of liquor to

b

: to add something to impart pungency, savor, or zest to

a sauce laced with garlic

conversation laced with sarcasm

c

: to adulterate with a substance

laced a guard's coffee with a sedative

intransitive verb

1

: to admit of being tied or fastened with a lace

2

: to make a verbal attack

—usually used with into

his boss laced into him for being late

lacer noun

lace

2 of 2

noun

1

: a cord or string used for drawing together two edges (as of a garment or a shoe)

2

: an ornamental braid for trimming coats or uniforms

3

: an openwork usually figured fabric made of thread or yarn and used for trimmings, household coverings, and entire garments

laced

ˈlāst 

adjective

laceless

ˈlās-ləs 

adjective

lacelike

ˈlās-ˌlīk 

adjective

Synonyms

Verb

• enlace
• entwine
• implicate [archaic]
• interlace
• intertwine
• intertwist
• interweave
• inweave
• ply
• twist
• weave
• wreathe
• writhe

Noun

• cable
• cord
• lacing
• line
• rope
• string
• wire

Examples of lace in a Sentence

Verb

a dress that laces in the back

the gardener laced the shoots of ivy around the trellis to direct their growth

Noun

I need new laces for these shoes.

She wore lace on her wedding gown.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

The rapid-fire dialogue between Phil and Connie (played perfectly by McCarthy) is the main draw here, as their exchanges are laced with great insults and hilarious banter. —Travis Bean, Forbes, 7 Dec. 2024

While grieving the loss of his young cousin, who died in 2021 after ingesting a pain pill laced with fentanyl, Webb said that dealers who knowingly peddle potentially lethal drugs are nothing short of murderers. —Andrew Baggarly, The Athletic, 6 Dec. 2024

Noun

Get the recipe 17 of 20 Lace Cookies Incredibly light and crispy, these super-thin lace cookies are caramelly and tasty. Get the recipe 18 of 20 Marinated Cheese Serve this zippy marinated cheese with fresh crudité for an easy gluten-free starter. —Josh Miller, Southern Living, 9 Dec. 2024

The rounded cap, with its short, stiff brim, is a more fashionable take on a beret — and a style that designers like Chanel and Dolce & Gabbana continue to reinvent in classic tweed or edgy lace and netting. —Lane Nieset, Travel + Leisure, 7 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, from Anglo-French lacer, from Latin laqueare to ensnare, from laqueus

Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French lace, laz, from Latin laqueus snare

First Known Use

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing lace

• Brussels lace
• Chantilly lace
• lace-curtain
• lace-up
• pillow lace
• point lace
• Queen Anne's lace

Kids Definition

lace

1 of 2 verb

ˈlās 

laced; lacing

1

: to fasten or join with or as if with a lace

laced her shoes

2

: to adorn with or as if with lace

3

: intertwine, thread

lace the ribbon through the holes

4

: beat entry 1 sense 1a, lash

lace

2 of 2 noun

1

: a cord or string for drawing together two edges (as of a shoe)

2

: an ornamental braid for trimming coats or uniforms

3

: a fine open-worked fabric of thread or cord used chiefly for ornament of dress

laced

ˈlāst 

adjective

lacelike

ˈlā-ˌslīk 

adjective

Etymology

Noun

Middle English las, lace "a string used to draw together two edges of material," from early French laz (same meaning), from Latin laqueus "noose, snare" — related to lash entry 3, lasso entry 1

Word Origin

When the ancient Romans wanted to trap a small animal, such as a rabbit, they used a loop of light rope laid on the ground in its path. A triggering device was used to tighten the loop around the animal. They called such a loop or noose laqueus, which became laz in early French. The English borrowed it as las in the 14th century. They used it to refer to a cord that holds something together by weaving, as a shoelace. Finally, it came to mean the delicate fabric made by weaving and knotting thin strands of material.