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grace

noun

  1. divine help offered freely
  2. charm or elegance
  3. prayer said before a meal
  4. temporary contract extension
L2005 on Wikidata ↗

verb

  1. to decorate, beautify
L23421 on Wikidata ↗

Wiktionary

Pronunciation: /ɡɹeɪs/

name

Etymology: From the noun grace, first used by Puritans in the 16th century. In Roman Catholic use it may refer to Our Lady of Graces, cognate with Italian Grazia.

  1. A female given name from English.

    To The Handsome Mistress Grace Potter: As is your name, so is your comely face / Touch'd everywhere with such a diffused grace /

    Grace does not belie her name; for she is indeed a sweet girl, modest and unassuming, and appearing to be unconscious of having done anything great or noble. - OBSERVER, Dec.16, 1838.

  2. A surname.
  3. A placename in the United States:
  4. A placename in the United States:
  5. A placename in the United States:
  6. A placename in the United States:
  7. A placename in the United States:
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noun

Etymology: From Middle English grace, from Old French grace (modern French grâce), from Latin grātia (“kindness, favour, esteem”), from grātus (“pleasing”), from Proto-Indo-European *gʷerH- (“to praise, welcome”); compare grateful. The word displaced the native Middle English held, hield (“grace”) (from Old English held, hyld (“grace”)), Middle English este (“grace, favour, pleasure”) (from Old English ēst (“grace, kindness, favour”)), Middle English athmede(n) (“grace”) (from Old English ēadmēdu (“grace”)), Middle English are, ore (“grace, mercy, honour”) (from Old English ār (“honour, grace, kindness, mercy”)).

  1. Charming, pleasing qualities.

    The Princess brought grace to an otherwise dull and boring party.

    Study gives strength to the mind; conversation, grace: the first apt to give stiffness, the other suppleness: one gives substance and form to the statue, the other polishes it.

  2. A short prayer of thanks before or after a meal.

    It has become less common to say grace before having dinner.

  3. In the games of patience or solitaire: a special move that is normally against the rules.
  4. A grace note.

    The Trill being the most usual Grace, is usually made in Closes, Cadences, and when on a long Note Exclamation or Passion is expressed, there the Trill is made in the latter part of such Note; but most usually upon binding Notes and such Notes as precede the closing Note.

  5. Elegant movement; elegance of movement; balance or poise.

    The dancer moved with grace and strength.

  6. An allowance of time granted to a debtor during which they are free of at least part of their normal obligations towards the creditor.

    The repayment of the loan starts after a three-year grace.

    With mounting anger the King denounced the pair, both father and son, and was about to condemn them to death when his strength gave out. Faint and trembling he was unable to walk and the sword fell from his hands as he murmured: 'May the Protector of the Buddhist Faith grant me but seven more days grace of life to be quit of this disloyal couple, father and son'.

  7. Favor, sanction or beneficence.

    The minister has extended his grace to our effort.

  8. Favor, sanction or beneficence.

    Near-synonyms: Divine Providence, Providence

    divine grace

  9. An act or decree of the governing body of an English university.
  10. Mercy, pardon.

verb

Etymology: From Middle English grace, from Old French grace (modern French grâce), from Latin grātia (“kindness, favour, esteem”), from grātus (“pleasing”), from Proto-Indo-European *gʷerH- (“to praise, welcome”); compare grateful. The word displaced the native Middle English held, hield (“grace”) (from Old English held, hyld (“grace”)), Middle English este (“grace, favour, pleasure”) (from Old English ēst (“grace, kindness, favour”)), Middle English athmede(n) (“grace”) (from Old English ēadmēdu (“grace”)), Middle English are, ore (“grace, mercy, honour”) (from Old English ār (“honour, grace, kindness, mercy”)).

  1. To adorn; to decorate; to embellish and dignify.

    He graced the room with his presence.

    He graced the room by simply being there.

  2. To dignify or raise by an act of favour; to honour.

    He might, at his pleasure, grace […]or disgrace whom he would in court.

  3. To supply with heavenly grace.

    Thy first publique miracle graceth a marriage

  4. To add grace notes, cadenzas, etc., to.

    For D and E, the G and A fingers are generally used for gracing, though E is sometimes more conveniently graced by F#.