mace1
/meɪs
/noun
1A staff of office, especially that which lies on the table in the House of Commons when the Speaker is in the chair, regarded as a symbol of the authority of the House.The mace symbolises the authority of the speaker of the national assembly and its presence in the chamber indicates an official sitting of parliament....
- In the melee, the mace that symbolizes the authority of the legislature was carried away and was later found in a lobby used by parliamentarians.
- He carries the mace in the Speaker's Procession each day and also into the House of Lords during the State Opening of Parliament.
2 historical A heavy club with a spiked metal head.These weapons, such as clubs, maces, axes, and hammers, are as old as warfare and are certainly the oldest form of weapon wielded by man and his ancestors....
- He and his troops were well-equipped with glaives, maces, battle axes, and long bows.
- There were at least eight guards there, holding weapons from maces to swords to lances.
Synonyms
staff, club, cudgel, stick, shillelagh, bludgeon, blackjack, truncheon, cosh, life preserver
Origin
Middle English: from Old French masse 'large hammer'.
Rhymes
mace2
/meɪs/noun [mass noun]
The reddish fleshy outer covering of the nutmeg, dried as a spice.Among the spices specified are ginger, nutmeg, mace, cloves, and saffron; caraway seeds seem always to have been included....
- Before La Varenne, court cuisine had over-emphasized the use of sugar and such sweet spices as cloves, mace, cardamom or nutmeg.
- Spices such as coriander, cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, mace and nutmeg are ideal for winter soups and paprika helps provide a rich colour, says Bridget Jones.
Origin
Middle English macis (taken as plural), via Old French from Latin macir.
Mace3
/meɪs/noun [mass noun] trademark
An irritant chemical used in an aerosol to disable attackers.But it would be just my luck if the girl of my dreams took a dislike to me, had a big can of Mace and an itchy trigger finger....
- You can't pull your gun, no Mace - why don't we just arm-wrestle to see if you go to jail?
- [But] why put deadbolt locks on your doors and stock up on cans of Mace and then decide to leave your windows open?
verb (also mace) [with object]
Spray (someone) with Mace: three individuals were Maced by an unknown male...
- According to MPD spokesman Ron Reier, officers Maced and handcuffed Doby in an attempt to subdue him.
- But as officers put him in a cruiser, an audio recording inside the car shows Coleman asking why they maced him.
- At the police station, Winkler told Siewert that he maced Nelson after Nelson maced him.
Origin
1960s (originally US): probably from mace1.