- [singular, uncountable]
the speed at which somebody/something walks, runs or moves （移动的）速度；步速 - at a… pace
to set off at a steady/gentle/leisurely pace 以稳定的／徐缓的／悠闲的步子出发 Congestion frequently reduces traffic to walking pace. 交通阻塞经常把车流的速度降低得如步行般缓慢。 The ball gathered pace as it rolled down the hill. 球向山下滚去，速度越来越快。 The runners have noticeably quickened their pace. 赛跑者明显加快了脚步。 Aisha slowed her pace to a walk. 艾莎放慢脚步去散步。
Extra ExamplesTopics Sports: other sportsb2He's a skilful player with a good turn of pace (= he can move quickly). 他是一位懂得变换节奏、技术娴熟的选手。 I set off at a snail's pace to conserve my energy for later in the race. 比赛开始时我的速度很慢，目的是为比赛后半程保持体力。 She kept up a pace of ten miles an hour. 她将速度保持在每小时 10 英里。 They set off at a blistering pace. 他们一起跑就跑得飞快。 Thinking that she was being followed, she quickened her pace. 感到被人跟踪，她加快了脚步。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- blistering
- breakneck
- breathtaking
- …
- gather
- increase
- quicken
- …
- increase
- slow
- at a… pace
- pace of
- at somebody’s own pace
- at a snail’s pace
- a change of pace
- …
- at a… pace
- [singular, uncountable]
the speed at which something happens 发生的速度；步伐；节奏 - pace of something
It is difficult to keep up with the rapid pace of change. 跟上快速的变化是很困难的。 I prefer the relaxed pace of life in the country. 我喜爱乡间那悠闲的生活节奏。 We encourage all students to work at their own pace (= as fast or as slow as they can). 我们鼓励学生都按自己的节奏学习。 - at a… pace
The American economy has grown at a record pace. 美国经济以创纪录的速度增长。 Technology is changing at a blistering pace. 技术正在飞速变化。 The plot moves along at a fast pace. 剧情进展很快。 These updates are going to continue at a rapid pace. 这些更新将继续快速进行。 Rumours of corruption and scandal gathered pace (= increased in number). 腐化堕落的传闻日益增多。
Extra ExamplesThe pace of life is much gentler on the island. 岛上的生活节奏慢多了。 I try to get away at weekends for a change of pace. 周末的时候我总是尽可能外出度假，以变换一下生活节奏。 The project had a slow start, but is now gathering pace. 这个项目开始时进展缓慢，但现在正逐步加快速度。 the slow pace of economic reform 缓慢的经济改革步伐
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- blistering
- breakneck
- breathtaking
- …
- gather
- increase
- quicken
- …
- increase
- slow
- at a… pace
- pace of
- at somebody’s own pace
- at a snail’s pace
- a change of pace
- …
- pace of something
- [countable]
an act of stepping once when walking or running; the distance travelled when doing this （走或跑时）迈出的一步，一步的距离；步幅 She took two paces forward. 她向前走了两步。 To be a really good runner he needs to lengthen his pace a little. 要成为一名真正优秀的赛跑运动员，他需要稍微放慢速度。 Competitors must stand at a distance of 20 paces from each other. 参赛者必须站在相距20步的地方。
Extra ExamplesTopics Maths and measurementc1I stopped a few paces from the edge of the cliff. 我在离悬崖边还有几步远的地方停了下来。 Jean followed a few paces behind. 琼在后面几步远的地方跟着。 You can get a device that counts how many paces you take in an average day. 你可以得到一个装置来计算你平均一天走多少步。 Two bodyguards remained a couple of paces behind the president throughout the walkabout. 总统走入人群与民众闲聊时，两个保镖一直跟在其身后两三步处。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverb + pace- take
- walk
- step back
- …
- pace behind
- pace from
- [uncountable]
the fact of something happening, changing, etc. quickly 迅速出现（或变化等）；快节奏 He gave up his job in advertising because he couldn't stand the pace. 他辞去了广告业的工作，因为他承受不了那种快节奏。 The novel lacks pace (= it develops too slowly). 这部小说缺乏节奏感。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- blistering
- breakneck
- breathtaking
- …
- gather
- increase
- quicken
- …
- increase
- slow
- at a… pace
- pace of
- at somebody’s own pace
- at a snail’s pace
- a change of pace
- …
see also pacy
Word OriginMiddle English: from Old French pas, from Latin passus ‘stretch (of the leg)’, from pandere ‘to stretch’.
Idioms
at a snail’s pace
very slowly 非常缓慢 Traffic had slowed to a snail’s pace. 车流速度太慢了，像蜗牛在爬。
force the pace (especially British English)
go through your paces | show your paces
to perform a particular activity in order to show other people what you are capable of doing 展示自己的能力 We watched the horses going through their paces. 我们看着马按照自己的速度奔跑。 The British team showed its paces during a training session in the hotel pool. 英国队在酒店游泳池的一次训练中展示了自己的能力。
keep pace (with somebody/something)
to move, increase, change, etc. at the same speed as somebody/something （与…）并驾齐驱；（与…）步调一致 She found it hard to keep pace with him as he strode off. 他大步走开了，她感到很难跟上他。 The younger children struggled to keep pace with the older ones. 小一点儿的孩子努力跟上大一点儿的孩子。 Until now, wage increases have always kept pace with inflation. 到目前为止，工资的增长与通货膨胀始终保持同步。 The company is struggling to keep pace with changes in the market. 该公司正努力跟上市场的变化。
off the pace
(in sport 体育运动 behind the leader or the leading group in a race or a competition （赛跑或比赛中）在领头人之后，在领头队之后 Last year's champion is still three shots off the pace (= in golf). 去年的冠军仍然落后三杆。
put somebody/something through their/its paces
to give somebody/something a number of tasks to perform in order to see what they are capable of doing 考察，考验（某人的能力） Youngsters will be put through their paces by qualified instructors. 合格的教师将对青少年进行测试。 We sent our reporter to put Ford’s newest model through its paces. 我们派记者去测试福特的最新型号。
set the pace
to do something at a particular speed or to a particular standard so that other people are then forced to copy it if they want to be successful 确定速度；确立标准；领先 (in a race 跑步比赛 to run faster than the other people taking part, at a speed that they then try to copy 领跑 Willis set the pace for the first mile. 威利斯为第一英里定下了速度。