grace

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See also: Grace, grâce, and Grâce

English

Etymology

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From Middle English grace, borrowed 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 ēste (“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”)).

Pronunciation

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  • Audio (RP):(file)
  • Audio (GA):(file)
  • Rhymes: -eɪs

Noun

grace (countable and uncountable, plural graces)

  1. (countable, uncountable) Charming, pleasing qualities.
    The Princess brought grace to an otherwise dull and boring party.
    • 1699, William Temple, Heads designed for an essay on conversations
      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.
    • (Can we date this quote by Blair and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)
      I have formerly given the general character of Mr. Addison's style and manner as natural and unaffected, easy and polite, and full of those graces which a flowery imagination diffuses over writing.
  2. (countable) A short prayer of thanks before or after a meal.
    It has become less common to say grace before having dinner.
  3. (countable, card games) In the games of patience or solitaire: a special move that is normally against the rules.
  4. (countable, music) A grace note.
    • 1683, John Playford, An Introduction to the Skill of Musick: In Three Books, page 47:
      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. (uncountable) Elegant movement; balance or poise.
    The dancer moved with grace and strength.
  6. (uncountable, finance) An allowance of time granted to a debtor during which he or she is free of at least part of his normal obligations towards the creditor.
    The repayment of the loan starts after a three-year grace.
    • 1990, Claude de Bèze, 1688 revolution in Siam: the memoir of Father de Bèze, s.j, translated by E. W. Hutchinson, University Press, page 153:
      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. (uncountable, theology) Free and undeserved favour, especially of God; unmerited divine assistance given to humans for their regeneration or sanctification, or for resisting sin.
    I’m so grateful to God for the grace that He has given me.
  8. An act or decree of the governing body of an English university.

Derived terms

Terms related to grace (noun)

Translations

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Translations to be checked

Verb

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  1. (transitive) To adorn; to decorate; to embellish and dignify.
    He graced the room with his presence.
    He graced the room by simply being there.
    His portrait graced a landing on the stairway.
    • (Can we date this quote by Alexander Pope and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)
      Great Jove and Phoebus graced his noble line.
    • (Can we date this quote by Shakespeare and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)
      We are graced with wreaths of victory.
  2. (transitive) To dignify or raise by an act of favour; to honour.
    • (Can we date this quote by Knolles and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)
      He might, at his pleasure, grace or disgrace whom he would in court.
  3. (transitive) To supply with heavenly grace.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Bishop Hall to this entry?)
  4. (transitive, music) To add grace notes, cadenzas, etc., to.

Synonyms

Translations

Further reading

Anagrams

Middle English

Etymology 1

From Old French grace, from Latin grātia.

Alternative forms

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /ˈɡraːs(ə)/

Noun

grace (plural graces or grace)

  1. Various (Christian) theological meanings, usually as an attribute of God:
    1. The grace of God; divine aid or beneficence.
    2. A gift or sign of God; a demonstration of divine power.
    3. guidance, direction (especially divine)
  2. luck, destiny (especially positive or beneficial)
  3. niceness, esteem, positive demeanour
  4. beneficence, goodwill, good intentions
  5. gracefulness, elegance; aptness, competence.
  6. A present; a helpful or kind act.
  7. relief, relenting, forgiveness
  8. A prayer, especially one preceding a meal.
  9. (rare) repute, credit
  10. (rare) misfortune, misadventure, doom
  11. (rare, Late Middle English) unfairness, partisanship
Descendants
  • English: grace
  • Scots: grace
References

Etymology 2

From Old English græs.

Noun

grace

  1. Alternative form of gras

Old French

Alternative forms

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin grātia.

Noun

grace oblique singular, f (oblique plural graces, nominative singular grace, nominative plural graces)

  1. grace; favor
  2. grace; gracefulness; elegance

Descendants

References

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