lace

 
Pronunciation: /leɪs/

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

[with object]
  • 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

Phrasal Verbs

lace into

informal attack verbally or physically: Brady laced into his teammates for playing with a lack of passion

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