lace: [13] Lace originally meant ‘noose’ or ‘snare’, and its underlying semantic connections are not with ‘string’ or ‘thread’ but with ‘entrapment’ or ‘enticement’. Its ultimate source was Latin laqueus ‘noose’, which was related to the verb lacere ‘lure, deceive’ (source of English delicious and elicit). This passed into Vulgar Latin as *lacium, which in due course diversified into Italian laccio, Spanish lazo (source of English lasso [19]), and French lacs.
It was the latter’s Old French predecessor, laz or las, that gave English lace. The sense ‘noose’ had died out by the early 17th century, but by then it had already developed via ‘string, cord’ to ‘cord used for fastening clothes’. ‘Open fabric made of threads’ emerged in the mid-16th century. Latch [14] is thought to be distantly related. => delicious, elicit, lasso, latch
lace (n.)
early 13c., laz, "cord made of braided or interwoven strands of silk, etc.," from Old French laz "a net, noose, string, cord, snare" (Modern French lacs), from Vulgar Latin *lacium, from Latin laqueum (nominative laqueus) "noose, snare" (source also of Italian laccio, Spanish lazo), a trapping and hunting term, probably from Italic base *laq- "to ensnare" (compare Latin lacere "to entice"). Later also "net, noose, snare" (c. 1300); and "piece of cord used to draw together the edges of slits or openings in an article of clothing" (late 14c., as in shoelace). The "ornamental net pattern" meaning is first recorded 1550s. As an adjective, lace-curtain "middle class" (or lower-class with middle-class pretensions), usually is used in reference to Irish-Americans, is attested by 1928.
lace (v.)
c. 1200, "fasten (clothing, etc.) with laces and ties," from Old French lacier, from laz (see lace (n.)). Also "tighten (a garment) by pulling its laces" (early 14c.). To lace coffee, etc., with a dash of liquor (1670s) originally was used of sugar, and comes via the notion of "to ornament or trim." Related: Laced; lacing. Laced mutton was "an old word for a whore" [Johnson].
实用例句
1. I am wearing a plaid nightgown trimmed with white lace.
我穿着一件带有白色蕾丝花边的格子呢睡衣。
来自柯林斯例句
2. The nightdress has handmade lace round the armholes and neckline.
这件女式睡衣的袖孔和领口都镶着一圈手织花边。
来自柯林斯例句
3. Slip-on shoes are easier to put on than lace-ups.
一脚蹬比系带鞋容易穿。
来自柯林斯例句
4. She finally found the perfect gown, a beautiful creation trimmed with lace.
她终于找到了理想的礼服——一袭饰有蕾丝的美丽长裙。
来自柯林斯例句
5. Fred liked to lace his conversation with military terms.
