lace

noun

• 1 [mass noun] a fine open fabric of cotton or silk, made by looping, twisting, or knitting thread in patterns and used especially for trimming garments: a dress trimmed in white lace [as modifier]:a lace collar [count noun]:fine needlepoint laces
• braid used for trimming, especially on military dress uniforms: his generals were covered with gold lace

• 2 (usually laces) a cord or leather strip passed through eyelets or hooks on opposite sides of a shoe or garment and then pulled tight and fastened: brown shoes with laces

verb

• 1fasten or tighten (a shoe or garment) by tying the laces:he put the shoes on and laced them up
• tighten a laced corset around the waist of:Rosina laced her up tight to show off her neat waist
• (lace someone into) fasten someone into (a garment) by tightening the laces:she couldn’t breathe, laced into this frock
• [no object] (of a garment or shoe) be fastened by means of laces:the shoes laced at the front

• 2 [with object and adverbial] entwine (things, especially fingers) together:she laced her fingers together
• (lace something through) pass a lace or cord through (a hole): he laced the twine through the eyelets and pulled it tight

• 3 (usually be laced with) add an ingredient, especially alcohol, to (a drink or dish) to enhance its flavour or strength:coffee laced with brandy
• give (something) a large amount or degree of a feature or quality:the script is laced with expletives his voice was laced with derision