Definition

1. Noun:

   • A step taken in walking: The distance covered by a single step.
   • A unit of length: A linear measure equal to one step, often standardized as 3 feet or approximately 0.91 meters.
   • Speed or rate of movement: The speed at which someone walks, runs, or moves.
   • Rate of progress or activity: The speed or tempo at which something happens or develops.

2. Verb:

   • To walk with regular steps: To walk back and forth, especially in a steady, measured, or anxious manner.
   • To set or regulate the speed: To control the rate of progress or movement for oneself or others.
   • To measure by steps: To determine a distance by counting the number of steps taken while walking it.

Usage Examples

• Noun:

  • He took a few slow paces toward the door. (He walked a few slow steps toward the door.)
  • The field was about fifty paces across. (The field was about fifty steps in width.)
  • She couldn't keep up with his fast pace. (She couldn't match his speed of walking.)
  • The pace of technological change is rapid. (The speed of technological development is fast.)

• Verb:

  • He paced nervously in the waiting room. (He walked back and forth nervously in the waiting room.)
  • You need to pace yourself during the marathon. (You need to regulate your effort and speed during the marathon.)
  • She paced off the length of the garden. (She measured the length of the garden by walking and counting her steps.)

Advanced Usage

• "to set the pace": To establish the speed or standard that others try to match.

  • The leading runner set the pace for the rest of the field. (The leading runner established the speed for the other runners.)

• "to keep pace with": To move or progress at the same speed as someone or something else.

  • Wages are not keeping pace with inflation. (Salaries are not increasing at the same rate as inflation.)

• "at a snail's pace": Very slowly.

  • Traffic was moving at a snail's pace. (Traffic was moving extremely slowly.)

Variants and Related Words

• Pacer (n): A person or animal that sets the pace, especially a horse used for pacing in a race.

  • The pacer led the race for the first few laps.

• Pacemaker (n): 1. A person or animal that sets the pace in a race. 2. A medical device that regulates the heartbeat.

  • She had a pacemaker implanted to regulate her heart.

Synonyms

• Noun: Step, stride; Speed, rate, tempo; Gait.
• Verb: Walk, stride; Measure; Regulate.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Pace out/off: To measure a distance by walking it and counting steps.
  • The builder paced out the dimensions for the new shed. (The builder measured the area for the new shed by walking.)

Related Idioms

• "Put someone through their paces": To test someone's abilities or make them demonstrate their skills.

  • The audition really put the actors through their paces. (The audition thoroughly tested the actors' skills.)

• "Force the pace": To make an event or activity progress faster.

  • The home team tried to force the pace in the second half. (The home team tried to make the game progress more quickly in the second half.)

Noun

1. a unit of length equal to 3 feet; defined as 91.44 centimeters; originally taken to be the average length of a stride
2. the rate of some repeating event
3. a step in walking or running
4. the relative speed of progress or change
   • he lived at a fast pace
   • he works at a great rate
   • the pace of events accelerated
5. the distance covered by a step
   • he stepped off ten paces from the old tree and began to dig
6. the rate of moving (especially walking or running)

Verb

1. regulate or set the pace of
   • Pace your efforts
2. measure (distances) by pacing
   • step off ten yards
3. go at a pace
   • The horse paced
4. walk with slow or fast paces
   • He paced up and down the hall