pace [1]
n
a a single step in walking
b the distance covered by a step
2 a measure of length equal to the average length of a stride, approximately 3 feet
See also →
Roman pace →
geometric pace →
military pace
3 speed of movement, esp. of walking or running
4 rate or style of proceeding at some activity
to live at a fast pace
5 manner or action of stepping, walking, etc.; gait
6 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)
7 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
8 (Architect) a step or small raised platform
9 ♦
keep pace with to proceed at the same speed as
10 ♦
put (someone) through his paces to test the ability of (someone)
11 ♦
set the pace to determine the rate at which a group runs or walks or proceeds at some other activity
12 ♦
stand or stay the pace to keep up with the speed or rate of others
vb
13 tr to set or determine the pace for, as in a race
14 often foll by: about, up and down, etc. to walk with regular slow or fast paces, as in boredom, agitation, etc.
to pace the room
15 tr; often foll by: out to measure by paces
to pace out the distance
16 intr to walk with slow regular strides
to pace along the street
17 intr (of a horse) to move at the pace (the specially developed gait)
(C13: via Old French from Latin passus step, from pandere to spread, unfold, extend (the legs as in walking))