lace
lace [lace laces laced lacing] noun, verb BrE [leɪs] NAmE [leɪs]
noun 
1. uncountable a delicate material made from threads of cotton, silk, etc. that are twisted into a pattern of holes
•a lace handkerchief
•a tablecloth edged with lace
•lace curtains
see also ↑lacy
2. countable = ↑shoelace
•Your laces are undone.
Word Origin:
Middle English: from Old French laz, las (noun), lacier (verb), based on Latin laqueus ‘noose’ (also an early sense in English). Compare with ↑lasso.
Example Bank:
•a machine for knitting lace
•a silk dress trimmed with lace
•He's still a bit young to tie his own laces.
•to tie/untie your laces/shoelaces
verb
1. intransitive, transitive to be fastened with ↑laces; to fasten sth with ↑laces
•~ (up) She was wearing a dress that laced up at the side.
•~ sth (up) He was sitting on the bed lacing up his shoes.
see also ↑lace-up
2. transitive ~ sth to put a ↑lace through the holes in a shoe, a boot, etc.
related noun ↑lace-up
3. transitive ~ sth (with sth) to add a small amount of alcohol, a drug, poison, etc. to a drink
Syn: ↑spike
•He had laced her milk with rum.
4. transitive ~ sth (with sth) to add a particular quality to a book, speech, etc
•Her conversation was laced with witty asides.
5. transitive ~ sth to twist sth together with another thing
•They sat with their fingers laced.
Verb forms: 
Word Origin:
Middle English: from Old French laz, las (noun), lacier (verb), based on Latin laqueus ‘noose’ (also an early sense in English). Compare with ↑lasso.
Example Bank:
•I laced my walking boots up tightly.
•Irene's voice was heavily laced with irony.
•The chocolates had been laced with arsenic.
|
|
