leɪs n. & v. --n. 1 a fine
open fabric,
esp. of
cotton or
silk,
made by weaving
thread in patterns
and used esp. to
trim blouses,
underwear, etc. 2 a
cord or
leather strip passed
through eyelets or hooks on
opposite sides of a
shoe, corsets,
etc., pulled
tight and fastened. 3
braid used
for trimming esp.
dress uniform (gold lace). --v. 1 tr. (usu. foll. by up) a
fasten or
tighten (a shoe, corsets, etc.)
with a lace or laces. b
compress the waist of (a person) with a laced
corset. 2 tr.
flavour or
fortify (coffee,
beer, etc.) with a
dash of spirits. 3 tr. (usu. foll. by with) a
streak (a
sky etc.) with
colour (cheek laced with blood). b
interlace or
embroider (fabric) with thread etc. 4 tr. & (foll. by into) intr. colloq.
lash,
beat,
defeat. 5 tr. (often foll. by through) pass (a
shoelace etc.) through. 6 tr. trim with lace. ølace-glass
Venetian glass with lacelike designs. lace-pillow a
cushion placed on the lap and
providing support in lacemaking. lace-up --n. a shoe fastened with a lace. --attrib.adj. (of a shoe etc.) fastened by a lace or laces. [ME f. OF laz, las, lacier ult. f. L laqueus noose]
