Definition of pace1

pace1noun

tốc độ1

/peɪs//peɪs/

Word OriginMiddle English: from Old French pas, from Latin passus ‘stretch (of the leg)’, from pandere ‘to stretch’.

namespace

the speed at which somebody/something walks, runs or moves

Example:
  • to set off at a steady/gentle/leisurely pace
  • Congestion frequently reduces traffic to walking pace.
  • The ball gathered pace as it rolled down the hill.
  • The runners have noticeably quickened their pace.
  • Aisha slowed her pace to a walk.
Extra examples:
  • He's a skilful player with a good turn of pace (= he can move quickly).
  • I set off at a snail's pace to conserve my energy for later in the race.
  • She kept up a pace of ten miles an hour.
  • They set off at a blistering pace.
  • Thinking that she was being followed, she quickened her pace.

the speed at which something happens

Example:
  • It is difficult to keep up with the rapid pace of change.
  • I prefer the relaxed pace of life in the country.
  • We encourage all students to work at their own pace (= as fast or as slow as they can).
  • The American economy has grown at a record pace.
  • Technology is changing at a blistering pace.
  • The plot moves along at a fast pace.
  • These updates are going to continue at a rapid pace.
  • Rumours of corruption and scandal gathered pace (= increased in number).
Extra examples:
  • The pace of life is much gentler on the island.
  • I try to get away at weekends for a change of pace.
  • The project had a slow start, but is now gathering pace.
  • the slow pace of economic reform

an act of stepping once when walking or running; the distance travelled when doing this

Example:
  • She took two paces forward.
  • To be a really good runner he needs to lengthen his pace a little.
  • Competitors must stand at a distance of 20 paces from each other.
Extra examples:
  • I stopped a few paces from the edge of the cliff.
  • Jean followed a few paces behind.
  • You can get a device that counts how many paces you take in an average day.
  • Two bodyguards remained a couple of paces behind the president throughout the walkabout.

Related words and phrases

the fact of something happening, changing, etc. quickly

Example:
  • He gave up his job in advertising because he couldn't stand the pace.
  • The novel lacks pace (= it develops too slowly).

Related words and phrases

Idioms

at a snail’s pace
very slowly
  • Traffic had slowed to a snail’s pace.
    • force the pace
    to run very fast in a race in order to make the other people taking part run faster
    to make somebody do something faster than they want to
  • The demonstrations have succeeded in forcing the pace of change.
    • go through your paces | show your paces
    to perform a particular activity in order to show other people what you are capable of doing
  • We watched the horses going through their paces.
  • The British team showed its paces during a training session in the hotel pool.
    • keep pace (with somebody/something)
    to move, increase, change, etc. at the same speed as somebody/something
  • She found it hard to keep pace with him as he strode off.
  • The younger children struggled to keep pace with the older ones.
  • Until now, wage increases have always kept pace with inflation.
  • The company is struggling to keep pace with changes in the market.
    • off the pace
    behind the leader or the leading group in a race or a competition
  • Last year's champion is still three shots off the pace (= in golf).
    • put somebody/something through their/its paces
    to give somebody/something a number of tasks to perform in order to see what they are capable of doing
  • Youngsters will be put through their paces by qualified instructors.
  • We sent our reporter to put Ford’s newest model through its paces.
    • set the pace
    to do something at a particular speed or to a particular standard so that other people are then forced to copy it if they want to be successful
  • The company is no longer setting the pace in the home computer market.
    • to run faster than the other people taking part, at a speed that they then try to copy
  • Willis set the pace for the first mile.