shoe-lace

A child ties the shoe-lace on their sneaker.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A cord for fastening a shoe: "shoe-lace" refers to a thin cord or strip of material used to secure a shoe by passing it through eyelets or hooks and tying it.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • He tied his shoe-lace in a double knot to prevent it from coming undone. (A cord used to fasten a shoe.)
  • The child struggled to thread the shoe-lace through the small holes. (The process of inserting the cord into the eyelets.)

Advanced Usage

• "to tie one's shoe-laces": the action of securing the laces on one's shoes.
  • She bent down to tie her shoe-laces before the race. (She fastened the cords on her shoes.)
• "to trip over a shoe-lace": to stumble or fall because of an untied lace.
  • He tripped over his own shoe-lace and fell on the sidewalk. (He stumbled due to an untied cord.)

Variants and Related Words

• Shoelace (n): a common alternative spelling without the hyphen; meaning is identical.
  • The shoelace was frayed and needed replacing. (The cord was worn out.)
• Lace (n): a broader term for a cord or string used for fastening; can also refer to decorative fabric.
  • She used a thin lace to tie the package. (A cord for binding.)

Synonyms

• Lace: a general term for a cord used to fasten clothing or shoes.
  • The lace on his boot broke. (The fastening cord.)
• String: a thin piece of cord used for tying.
  • A string is often used for shoe-laces in cheap shoes. (A simple cord.)

Related Idioms

• "to have a loose shoe-lace": a literal situation where a lace is not tied; used figuratively to suggest something is not secure.
  • He had a loose shoe-lace, so he stopped to fix it. (The cord was untied.)
• "to pull one's own shoe-laces": a metaphorical expression meaning to take initiative or responsibility.
  • In this project, you must pull your own shoe-laces and not rely on others. (Take independent action.)