lace

[[t]le͟ɪs[/t]]

laces, lacing, laced

1) N-UNCOUNT Lace is a very delicate cloth which is made with a lot of holes in it. It is made by twisting together very fine threads of cotton to form patterns.

She finally found the perfect gown, a beautiful creation trimmed with lace.

...a plain white lace bedspread.

2) N-COUNT: usu pl Laces are thin pieces of material that are put through special holes in some types of clothing, especially shoes. The laces are tied together in order to tighten the clothing.

Barry was sitting on the bed, tying the laces of an old pair of running shoes.

3) VERB If you lace something such as a pair of shoes, you tighten the shoes by pulling the laces through the holes, and usually tying them together.

[V n] I have a good pair of skates, but no matter how tightly I lace them, my ankles wobble.

Syn:

tie

PHRASAL VERB

Lace up means the same as lace.

V P n (not pron) He sat on the steps, and laced up his boots... V n P Nancy was lacing her shoe up when the doorbell rang.

4) VERB To lace food or drink with a substance such as alcohol or a drug means to put a small amount of the substance into the food or drink.

[V n with n] She laced his food with sleeping pills.

5) VERB If you lace your speech or writing with words of a particular kind, you include a lot of those words in what you say or write.

[V n with n] Fred liked to lace his conversation with military terms.

[V-ed] ...a speech laced with wry humour.

6) VERB If you lace your fingers together, you put the palms of your hands together and fold your fingers over, fitting the fingers of one hand between the fingers of the other.

[V pl-n together] He took to lacing his fingers together in an attempt to keep his hands still. [Also V pl-n]

Phrasal Verbs:

- lace up