From Middle English "pas," from Old French meaning "step," from Latin "passus," a conjugated form of the verb pandere, to spread:
  • a rate of speed or progress ("at a snail's pace")
  • to regulate that speed ("pace yourself")
  • a tempo or gait (particularly a horse's gait in which the legs move in pairs on each side and support the animal alternately on the right and left legs)
  • an example to be followed ("three strokes off the pace")
  • an exhibition of skills ("put through its paces")
  • a manner of walking ("with a measured pace")
  • to measure by pacing ("paced off a ten-yard penalty"). Dict.org quotes the Webster 1913 definition that originally didn't make it to E2 as saying "Ordinarily the pace is estimated at two and one half linear feet; but in measuring distances by stepping, the pace is extended to three feet (one yard) or to three and three tenths feet (one fifth of a rod). The regulation marching pace in the English and United States armies is thirty inches for quick time, and thirty-six inches for double time. The Roman pace (passus) was from the heel of one foot to the heel of the same foot when it next touched the ground, five Roman feet."
  • a device in a loom which maintains tension on the warp fibers while "pacing the web" or winding up the woven cloth on the beam.
  • In architecture, "a broad step or platform; any part of a floor slightly raised above the rest, as around an altar, or at the upper end of a hall"
From the Latin ablative form of of "pac-", "pax," meaning peace or permission
  • a preposition meaning "contrary to the opinions of" ("easiness is a virtue in grammar, pace old-fashioned grammarians -- Philip Howard")

Pace is also:

  • and almost certainly a lot more, but after 50 Google results I got tired of looking at all the organizations using the name.

    Source:
    http://www.m-w.com
    http://www.dict.org/
    http://www.pace.edu
    http://www.paceunion.org
    http://www.planet.edu/~pace/
    http://www.natlpaceassn.org/
    http://www.pacehealth.org.uk/
    http://pace.berkeley.edu/
    http://www.pacefoods.com
    http://www.paceusa.com
    http://www.pace-sci.com/
    http://www.pace.co.uk
    http://www.pace-racing.co.uk
    http://www.pacesportswear.com
    http://www.paceamerican.com
    http://www.pacepros.com/
    http://www.pacegroupexercise.com
    http://www.paceparts.com
    http://www.paceprints.com
    http://www.pacebus.com

  • Pace (?), n. [OE. pas, F. pas, from L. passus a step, pace, orig., a stretching out of the feet in walking; cf. pandere, passum, to spread, stretch; perh. akin to E. patent. Cf. Pas, Pass.]

    1.

    A single movement from one foot to the other in walking; a step.

    2.

    The length of a step in walking or marching, reckoned from the heel of one foot to the heel of the other; -- used as a unit in measuring distances; as, he advanced fifty paces. "The heigh of sixty pace ." Chaucer.

    ⇒ Ordinarily the pace is estimated at two and one half linear feet; but in measuring distances by stepping, the pace is extended to three feet (one yard) or to three and three tenths feet (one fifth of a rod). The regulation marching pace in the English and United States armies is thirty inches for quick time, and thirty-six inches for double time. The Roman pace (passus) was from the heel of one foot to the heel of the same foot when it next touched the ground, five Roman feet.

    3.

    Manner of stepping or moving; gait; walk; as, the walk, trot, canter, gallop, and amble are paces of the horse; a swaggering pace; a quick pace. Chaucer.

    To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,
    Creeps in this petty pace from day to day.
    Shak.

    In the military schools of riding a variety of paces are taught.
    Walsh.

    4.

    A slow gait; a footpace. [Obs.] Chucer.

    5.

    Specifically, a kind of fast amble; a rack.

    6.

    Any single movement, step, or procedure. [R.]

    The first pace necessary for his majesty to make is to fall into confidence with Spain.
    Sir W. Temple.

    7. (Arch.)

    A broad step or platform; any part of a floor slightly raised above the rest, as around an altar, or at the upper end of a hall.

    8. (Weaving)

    A device in a loom, to maintain tension on the warp in pacing the web.

    Geometrical pace, the space from heel to heel between the spot where one foot is set down and that where the same foot is again set down, loosely estimated at five feet, or by some at four feet and two fifths. See Roman pace in the Note under def. 2. [Obs.] --
    To keep pace with, To hold pace with, to keep up with; to go as fast as. "In intellect and attainments he kept pace with his age." Southey.

     

    © Webster 1913


    Pace (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Paced (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Pacing (?).]

    1.

    To go; to walk; specifically, to move with regular or measured steps. "I paced on slowly." Pope. "With speed so pace." Shak.

    2.

    To proceed; to pass on. [Obs.]

    Or [ere] that I further in this tale pace.
    Chaucer.

    3.

    To move quickly by lifting the legs on the same side together, as a horse; to amble with rapidity; to rack.

    4.

    To pass away; to die. [Obs.] Chaucer.

     

    © Webster 1913


    Pace, v. t.

    1.

    To walk over with measured tread; to move slowly over or upon; as, the guard paces his round. "Pacing light the velvet plain." T. Warton.

    2.

    To measure by steps or paces; as, to pace a piece of ground.

    3.

    To develop, guide, or control the pace or paces of; to teach the pace; to break in.

    If you can, pace your wisdom
    In that good path that I would wish it go.
    Shak

    To pace the web (Weaving), to wind up the cloth on the beam, periodically, as it is woven, in a loom.

     

    © Webster 1913

    Log in or register to write something here or to contact authors.