paces
|peɪ/sɪz|
/ˈpeɪ.sɪz/
(pace)
speed or step
Etymology
'pace' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'passus,' where 'passus' meant 'a step'; the English 'pace' comes via Old French 'pas' and Anglo-Norman.
'pace' changed from Old French/Anglo-Norman 'pas' and Medieval Latin 'passus' into Middle English forms such as 'pas' and 'pace', eventually becoming the modern English 'pace'.
Initially it meant 'a step' or 'the length of a step', but over time it evolved to include 'rate or speed of movement' and figurative senses like 'tempo' or 'standard of progress'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
one step or stride; a single step taken when walking or running (plural form of 'pace').
He measured the distance in paces.
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Noun 2
the speed or rate of movement (used in plural to refer to steps or patterns of movement).
She quickened her paces to catch up with him.
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Noun 3
a unit of distance roughly equal to a step (plural form used when counting steps).
The ruins were only a few paces away.
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Verb 1
third-person singular present of 'pace': to walk back and forth, often because of anxiety or impatience.
She paces the hallway when she's nervous.
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Last updated: 2026/01/05 08:53