Pace Set Speed Peɪs I People Traffic Walking

• to set off at a steady/gentle/leisurely pace
• congestion frequently reduces traffic to walking pace.
• the ball gathered pace as it rolled down the hill.
• the runners have noticeably quickened their pace.

pace1

1. the speed at which somebody/something walks, runs or moves
• to set off at a steady/gentle/leisurely pace
• Congestion frequently reduces traffic to walking pace.
• The ball gathered pace as it rolled down the hill.
• The runners have noticeably quickened their pace.
• Aisha slowed her pace to a walk.

Extra Examples

• He's a skilful player with a good turn of pace (= he can move quickly).
• I set off at a snail's pace to conserve my energy for later in the race.
• She kept up a pace of ten miles an hour.
• They set off at a blistering pace.
• Thinking that she was being followed, she quickened her pace.
2. the speed at which something happens
• It is difficult to keep up with the rapid pace of change.
• I prefer the relaxed pace of life in the country.
• We encourage all students to work at their own pace (= as fast or as slow as they can).
• The American economy has grown at a record pace.
• Technology is changing at a blistering pace.
• The plot moves along at a fast pace.
• These updates are going to continue at a rapid pace.
• Rumours of corruption and scandal gathered pace (= increased in number).

Extra Examples

• The pace of life is much gentler on the island.
• I try to get away at weekends for a change of pace.
• The project had a slow start, but is now gathering pace.
• the slow pace of economic reform
3. an act of stepping once when walking or running; the distance travelled when doing this
• SYNONYM step
  https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/step_2
• She took two paces forward.
• To be a really good runner he needs to lengthen his pace a little.
• Competitors must stand at a distance of 20 paces from each other.

Extra Examples

• I stopped a few paces from the edge of the cliff.
• Jean followed a few paces behind.
• You can get a device that counts how many paces you take in an average day.
• Two bodyguards remained a couple of paces behind the president throughout the walkabout.
4. the fact of something happening, changing, etc. quickly
• SEE ALSO fast-paced
  https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/fast-paced
• He gave up his job in advertising because he couldn't stand the pace.
• The novel lacks pace (= it develops too slowly).
5. very slowly
• Traffic had slowed to a snail’s pace.
6. to run very fast in a race in order to make the other people taking part run faster
7. to make somebody do something faster than they want to
• The demonstrations have succeeded in forcing the pace of change.
8. to perform a particular activity in order to show other people what you are capable of doing
• We watched the horses going through their paces.
• The British team showed its paces during a training session in the hotel pool.
9. to move, increase, change, etc. at the same speed as somebody/something
• She found it hard to keep pace with him as he strode off.
• The younger children struggled to keep pace with the older ones.
• Until now, wage increases have always kept pace with inflation.
• The company is struggling to keep pace with changes in the market.
10. behind the leader or the leading group in a race or a competition
• Last year's champion is still three shots off the pace (= in golf).
11. to give somebody/something a number of tasks to perform in order to see what they are capable of doing
• Youngsters will be put through their paces by qualified instructors.
• We sent our reporter to put Ford’s newest model through its paces.
12. to do something at a particular speed or to a particular standard so that other people are then forced to copy it if they want to be successful
• The company is no longer setting the pace in the home computer market.
13. to run faster than the other people taking part, at a speed that they then try to copy
• Willis set the pace for the first mile.

Word Origin

• Middle English: from Old French pas, from Latin passus ‘stretch (of the leg)’, from pandere ‘to stretch’.