laced; lacing
1
: to draw together the edges of by or as if by a lace passed through eyelets
laces her fingers behind her head
2
: to draw or pass (something, such as a lace) through something (such as eyelets)
3
: to confine or compress by tightening laces of a garment
4
a
: to adorn with or as if with lace
the surrounding countryside was laced with villages and hamlets—
L. C. Heinemann
L. C. Heinemann
b
: to mark with streaks of color
6
a
: to add a dash of liquor to
b
: to add something to impart pungency, savor, or zest to
a sauce laced with garlic
conversation laced with sarcasm
c
: to adulterate with a substance
laced a guard's coffee with a sedative
1
: to admit of being tied or fastened with a lace
2
: to make a verbal attack
—usually used with into
his boss laced into him for being late
lacer
noun
1
: a cord or string used for drawing together two edges (as of a garment or a shoe)
2
: an ornamental braid for trimming coats or uniforms
3
: an openwork usually figured fabric made of thread or yarn and used for trimmings, household coverings, and entire garments
Synonyms
Examples of lace in a Sentence
Verb
a dress that laces in the back
the gardener laced the shoots of ivy around the trellis to direct their growth
Noun
I need new laces for these shoes.
She wore lace on her wedding gown.
Recent Examples on the Web
Rohan Nadkarni, NBC News, 11 Nov. 2024
Find that thought that gives you the energy to lace your proverbial sneakers and run.
—Nazar Gulyk, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
Emily Pennington, Outside Online, 6 Nov. 2024
The Autumnal Hues Look: Brown suede pairs well with slightly-off colors in the same family, like burgundy and khaki, and mixed textures, like lace and soft leather, making for a compelling look.
—Christina Holevas, Vogue, 4 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for lace 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Verb
On 3rd-and-10 from the 15, C.J. Stroud laced a ball up the middle of the field to John Metchie for the receiver’s first career touchdown.
—Rohan Nadkarni, NBC News, 11 Nov. 2024
Find that thought that gives you the energy to lace your proverbial sneakers and run.
—Nazar Gulyk, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
Noun
But these lightweight hikers from Merrell are mostly made from recycled material, laces to footbed, and come with a very reasonable $110 price point.
—Emily Pennington, Outside Online, 6 Nov. 2024
The Autumnal Hues Look: Brown suede pairs well with slightly-off colors in the same family, like burgundy and khaki, and mixed textures, like lace and soft leather, making for a compelling look.
—Christina Holevas, Vogue, 4 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for lace
Articles Related to lace
Dictionary Entries Near lace
Cite this Entry
“Lace.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lace. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
lace
1 of 2 verb
laced; lacing
1
: to fasten or join with or as if with a lace
laced her shoes
2
: to adorn with or as if with lace
3
: intertwine, thread
lace the ribbon through the holes
Etymology
Noun
Middle English las, lace "a string used to draw together two edges of material," from early French laz (same meaning), from Latin laqueus "noose, snare" — related to lash entry 3, lasso entry 1
Word Origin
When the ancient Romans wanted to trap a small animal, such as a rabbit, they used a loop of light rope laid on the ground in its path. A triggering device was used to tighten the loop around the animal. They called such a loop or noose laqueus, which became laz in early French. The English borrowed it as las in the 14th century. They used it to refer to a cord that holds something together by weaving, as a shoelace. Finally, it came to mean the delicate fabric made by weaving and knotting thin strands of material.
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share