noun
Uncommon
lace
lays
Lace (noun) means a delicate, decorative fabric made of patterned holes and thread. Example: “The wedding dress was trimmed with handmade lace.”
noun
1
A delicate, decorative fabric made of patterned holes and thread.
"The wedding dress was trimmed with handmade lace."
"Her grandmother's tablecloth was made of fine white lace."
"The curtains had a pretty edge of lace along the bottom."
2
A cord or string threaded through eyelets to fasten a shoe or garment.
"One of his shoelaces snapped just before the race."
"I need a new lace for my left trainer because this one is frayed."
"The corset had a long silk lace running down the back."
verb
1
To fasten something using laces.
"She laced up her boots before heading out into the snow."
"He knelt down to lace his daughter's shoes before the walk."
"The hikers laced their boots tightly to protect their ankles."
2
To secretly add alcohol, a drug, or another substance to food or drink.
"Someone had laced the punch with vodka without telling the guests."
"The prankster laced the sweets with extra chilli powder to fool his brother."
"Be careful, because someone might lace your drink when you are not looking."
How to use lace
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither the decorative fabric, the cord used to tie shoes, or the act of secretly mixing something into food or drink.
Common pairings
lace curtains
lace up
laced with
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like lace.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Plural
- laces
- Third person singular
- laces
- Past tense
- laced
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The wedding dress was trimmed with handmade _____.
Etymology
From Old French las, ultimately from Latin laqueus, "snare" or "noose" — a doublet of "lasso."
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for lace
See all rhymes for lace →Frequently asked questions
What does “lace” mean?
The word “lace” means a delicate, decorative fabric made of patterned holes and thread. In plain terms, either the decorative fabric, the cord used to tie shoes, or the act of secretly mixing something into food or drink.
How do you pronounce “lace”?
“Lace” is pronounced lays (/leɪs/ in IPA).
How do you use “lace” in a sentence?
Here is “lace” used in a sentence: “The wedding dress was trimmed with handmade lace.”
What part of speech is “lace”?
Depending on how it is used, “lace” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “lace” come from?
The word “lace” comes from Latin. From Old French las, ultimately from Latin laqueus, "snare" or "noose" — a doublet of "lasso.".
Is “lace” a common word?
“Lace” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “lace” have?
“Lace” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a delicate, decorative fabric made of patterned holes and thread.
What is the difference between lace and a shoelace?
Lace has two related noun senses: it can mean a delicate, decorative fabric made of patterned holes and thread, or it can mean the cord or string threaded through eyelets to fasten a shoe or garment. The second sense is essentially what people mean by "shoelace."
What does it mean to "lace" a drink?
To lace a drink means to secretly add alcohol, a drug, or another substance to it. This is a distinct verb sense from lacing up a shoe, which means fastening it using laces.
Is lacing a drink the same as spiking it?
Yes, in common usage lacing a drink and spiking it both describe secretly adding alcohol, a drug, or another substance to food or drink. The word "lace" is the more general term, since it also covers openly fastening shoes with laces in its unrelated verb sense.
Is lace fabric the same material as a shoelace?
No. Lace fabric is a delicate, decorative material made of patterned holes and thread, while a shoelace is a functional cord or string used to fasten a shoe or garment. They share a name but serve very different purposes.
