lace

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verb

ˈlās

laced; lacing

transitive verb

: to draw together the edges of by or as if by a lace passed through eyelets

laces her fingers behind her head

: to draw or pass (something, such as a lace) through something (such as eyelets)

: to confine or compress by tightening laces of a garment

: to adorn with or as if with lace

the surrounding countryside was laced with villages and hamlets

L. C. Heinemann

: to mark with streaks of color

: beat, lash

: to add a dash of liquor to

: to add something to impart pungency, savor, or zest to

a sauce laced with garlic

conversation laced with sarcasm

: to adulterate with a substance

laced a guard's coffee with a sedative

intransitive verb

: to admit of being tied or fastened with a lace

: to make a verbal attack

—usually used with into

his boss laced into him for being late

lacer noun

lace

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noun

: a cord or string used for drawing together two edges (as of a garment or a shoe)

: an ornamental braid for trimming coats or uniforms

: an openwork usually figured fabric made of thread or yarn and used for trimmings, household coverings, and entire garments

laced

ˈlāst

adjective

laceless

ˈlās-ləs

adjective

lacelike

ˈlās-ˌlīk

adjective

Example Sentences

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

Verb

On Thursday, November 24, tens of thousands will lace up for their local turkey trot.

Taylor Dutch, Outside Online, 22 Nov. 2022 Coach Cousy hadn’t played a game in seven years but agreed to lace ‘em up to help the struggling franchise.

Dan Shaughnessy, BostonGlobe.com, 4 Nov. 2022 Dealers might sloppily cut the drugs in the same place, leading to cross-contamination, while others might lace meth with fentanyl to hook more users, researchers and former users say.

Jon Kamp, WSJ, 14 Nov. 2022 The Spanish crooner and Argentine powerhouse beautifully lace their vocals together to bring to life a story about two friends who have feelings for each other but don’t dare to take the next step.

Billboard Staff, Billboard, 11 Nov. 2022 Every year, as many as 15,000 hearty souls lace up their boots to hike to the top of the mountain for a room at the inn.

Susan Glaser, cleveland, 15 Sep. 2022 Your fashion forward friends will adore these satin lace up heels in bright fuchsia.

Samantha Lawyer, Woman's Day, 7 Oct. 2022 Mitchell also cracked jokes and posed for photos, pausing at one point to lace up his new, red sneakers that will be dropping soon.

Chris Fedor, cleveland, 26 Sep. 2022 People are undertaking marathons again en masse, but rather than using that fact to fuel self-loathing, lace up some chunky sneakers yourself.

Wsj Off Duty Editors, WSJ, 10 Sep. 2022

Noun

Carmella wears an off-white dress with a matching white headband, while baby Pixie Rose is in a lace onesie and white flower headband.

Kimberlee Speakman, Peoplemag, 26 Nov. 2022 These Norse Projects are loaded with tech specs (like a cord-lock lace up closure) and are a modern finishing touch to any look.

Sara Klausing, Men's Health, 18 Nov. 2022 Cutouts on both sides of the torso were also covered in lace.

Carrie Wittmer, Glamour, 16 Nov. 2022 The silk organza lace on these pillowcases is subtly patterned, however, giving these covers an elegant flourish more contemporary than crusty.

Nina Molina, WSJ, 16 Nov. 2022 The delicate lace trim offers a vintage touch that doesn’t date the rest of your decor.

Lily Gray, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Nov. 2022 There’s a rawhide lace looped around the back to tighten them and tie a bow at the top.

Danny Perez, Popular Mechanics, 28 Oct. 2022 The sartorial variety is thrilling: Malian griots plucking koras in procession, Brazilian dancers in lace, Sun Ra followed by members of his Arkestra in polka-dot kimonos and pyramidal hats.

Julian Lucas, The New Yorker, 28 Oct. 2022 Integral to the procession that preceded the 4 p.m. Mass was an elaborately dressed statue of the Virgin Mary covered in lace and carried by four volunteers.

Susan Degrane, Chicago Tribune, 12 Sep. 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'lace.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.