laced; lacing
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
L. C. Heinemann
b
: to mark with streaks of color
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
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
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
Synonyms
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 WebClaire Fu, New York Times, 22 Apr. 2024
Wyatt won a district title in 1972, but that was the last time the Chaps reached the post season until Miguel Garcia laced a single to center to score Eli Washington to walk off a 10-0, five-inning win over Fort Worth South Hills in a District 6-5A game at Wyatt High school.
—Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Apr. 2024
Ornate double glass doors open into a grassy central courtyard patterned after Southern California’s landmark 1700s-era Mission San Juan Capistrano, which comes complete with a tired fountain and arched arcades laced with flowering hot pink bougainvillea.
—Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 19 Apr. 2024
The team meets the limitations of a beer and wine license with creative gumption, in the form of cocktails laced with sake and shochu.
—Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2024
The main culprits are fake Xanax, Adderall or Percocet pills laced with the powerful opioid fentanyl.
—Martha Bebinger, USA TODAY, 17 Apr. 2024
Nicki Minaj released her first-ever sneaker collection when teaming up with Loci earlier this month to lace the Barbz with some new footwear for the spring.
—Michael Saponara, Billboard, 17 Apr. 2024
To anyone who had followed Simpson’s career, that moment was laced with irony.
—John Blake, CNN, 12 Apr. 2024
The lyrics also appear to reference Earle’s death from an accidental overdose in 2020 (a toxicology report cited a combination of alcohol and cocaine laced with fentanyl).
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 15 Apr. 2024
Gabrielle Rockson, Peoplemag, 26 Apr. 2024
Crafted from lace embroidered with crystals and aluminum rings, this Chanel gown featured a plunging neckline, enhanced by a black satin bow and a white resin brooch.
—Héloïse Salessy, Glamour, 26 Apr. 2024
Mannequins are styled in items from the brand’s Spring-Summer 2024 collection, like the black chantilly lace bodysuit ($890) and matching skirt ($2,690) topped with the double crepe sablé boyfriend blazer ($2,290) and the suntan chantilly lace slip gown ($3,890).
—Brande Victorian, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Apr. 2024
Like shirts with ribbons all over or matching sets made of lace.
—Laura May Todd, New York Times, 18 Apr. 2024
Style it in a lace fabric or perhaps a breathable cotton fabric if the wedding is outside.
—Essence, 9 Apr. 2024
In a one-minute monologue, Karla laces into the emptiness of certain transactional gay relationships, her perspective that of a weary veteran of one too many conditional trysts.
—Louis Lucero Ii, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2024
Scout wowed in a strapless hot pink dress with a black lace overlay and black tights.
—Catherine Santino, Peoplemag, 10 Apr. 2024
The soft lace overlay on the Dairy Fairy Ruby Nursing and Pumping Bra will make anyone feel good without giving up comfort.
—Katrina Cossey, Parents, 10 Apr. 2024
Verb
Last year, the Google Play store suspended Pinduoduo’s app outside China after cybersecurity experts found that it was laced with malware.
—Claire Fu, New York Times, 22 Apr. 2024
Wyatt won a district title in 1972, but that was the last time the Chaps reached the post season until Miguel Garcia laced a single to center to score Eli Washington to walk off a 10-0, five-inning win over Fort Worth South Hills in a District 6-5A game at Wyatt High school.
—Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Apr. 2024
Ornate double glass doors open into a grassy central courtyard patterned after Southern California’s landmark 1700s-era Mission San Juan Capistrano, which comes complete with a tired fountain and arched arcades laced with flowering hot pink bougainvillea.
—Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 19 Apr. 2024
The team meets the limitations of a beer and wine license with creative gumption, in the form of cocktails laced with sake and shochu.
—Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2024
The main culprits are fake Xanax, Adderall or Percocet pills laced with the powerful opioid fentanyl.
—Martha Bebinger, USA TODAY, 17 Apr. 2024
Nicki Minaj released her first-ever sneaker collection when teaming up with Loci earlier this month to lace the Barbz with some new footwear for the spring.
—Michael Saponara, Billboard, 17 Apr. 2024
To anyone who had followed Simpson’s career, that moment was laced with irony.
—John Blake, CNN, 12 Apr. 2024
The lyrics also appear to reference Earle’s death from an accidental overdose in 2020 (a toxicology report cited a combination of alcohol and cocaine laced with fentanyl).
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 15 Apr. 2024
Noun
Mendez was dressed in a white lace gown with sleeves that hung off her shoulders, while Brinson matched his bride in a white jacket over a white shirt, bow-tie and black pants.
—Gabrielle Rockson, Peoplemag, 26 Apr. 2024
Crafted from lace embroidered with crystals and aluminum rings, this Chanel gown featured a plunging neckline, enhanced by a black satin bow and a white resin brooch.
—Héloïse Salessy, Glamour, 26 Apr. 2024
Mannequins are styled in items from the brand’s Spring-Summer 2024 collection, like the black chantilly lace bodysuit ($890) and matching skirt ($2,690) topped with the double crepe sablé boyfriend blazer ($2,290) and the suntan chantilly lace slip gown ($3,890).
—Brande Victorian, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Apr. 2024
Like shirts with ribbons all over or matching sets made of lace.
—Laura May Todd, New York Times, 18 Apr. 2024
Style it in a lace fabric or perhaps a breathable cotton fabric if the wedding is outside.
—Essence, 9 Apr. 2024
In a one-minute monologue, Karla laces into the emptiness of certain transactional gay relationships, her perspective that of a weary veteran of one too many conditional trysts.
—Louis Lucero Ii, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2024
Scout wowed in a strapless hot pink dress with a black lace overlay and black tights.
—Catherine Santino, Peoplemag, 10 Apr. 2024
The soft lace overlay on the Dairy Fairy Ruby Nursing and Pumping Bra will make anyone feel good without giving up comfort.
—Katrina Cossey, Parents, 10 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lace.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Articles Related to lace
Dictionary Entries Near lace
Cite this Entry
“Lace.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lace. Accessed 1 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
lace
1 of 2 verb
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
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.
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