pace

1 noun

1 WALK/RUN (singular) the speed at which you walk or run: They've run the first mile in under six minutes - can they keep up this pace? | at a steady/gentle/brisk pace: The troops marched at a steady pace.

2 SPEED STH HAPPENS (singular) the rate or speed at which something happens or at which someone does something

(+ of): The pace of change in Eastern Europe has been breathtaking. | at your own pace (=at the pace that suits you): He liked to work at his own pace.

3 A STEP (C) a single step when you are running or walking, or the distance moved in one step: I moved forward a couple of paces.

4 force the pace to make something happen or develop more quickly than it would do normally: Gorbachev favoured gradual reform and felt it was dangerous to force the pace.

5 keep pace (with) to move or change as fast as someone or something else: She followed Bobby, barely keeping pace with him. | Pensions and benefits have failed to keep pace with the rate of inflation.

6 put sb/sth through their paces to make a person or a machine show how well they can do something: a series of tests to put candidates through their paces

7 set the pace

a) to establish a speed at which others try to do something, or a quality they to try to achieve: Japanese firms have been setting the pace in electronic engineering.

b) to run at a speed that other runners try to keep to, at the beginning of a race

8 stand the pace to be able to deal with situations where you are very busy and have to think and act very quickly: If you can stand the pace, working in advertising pays well.

9 show your paces to show your skill or speed in an activity

10 the pace of life the amount of activity in people's lives and how busy they are: The pace of life in the village was slow and restful.

11 HORSE (C) one of the ways that a horse walks or runs

2 verb

1 (intransitive always + adv/prep, transitive) to walk with slow, regular, steady steps, usually backwards and forwards: pace up and down: He paced nervously up and down the hospital room, waiting for news. | pace the floor/room etc: Ben stood up and paced the floor, deep in thought.

2 pace yourself

a) to set a controlled regular speed for yourself, especially in a race: I paced myself so that I was not too far ahead of the others.

b) to do something at a steady speed without rushing

3 pace someone to set a speed for someone running or riding, especially in a race

4 also pace off, pace out (T) to measure a distance by taking steps of an equal length: The director paced out the length of the stage.