enlace, v.
(ɛnˈleɪs)
Also 4–6 enlase, 6,9 inlace.
[a. F. enlace-r = Pr. enlassar, Sp. enlazar, Pg. enla{cced}ar, It. inlacciare:—late L. *inlaciāre, f. in- (see in-) + *laci-us (OF. las lace, snare = It. laccio, Sp. lazo):—L. laqueus noose. Cf. L. illaqueāre. In later use taken as f. en-1 + lace.]
1. trans. To lace about, encircle tightly with many folds or coils. Also fig.
| c 1374 Chaucer Boeth. i. iv. 13 Þat man..enlaceþ hym in þe cheyne wiþ whiche he may be drawen. 1430 Lydg. Chron. Troy iv. xxx, To perce nerfe and vayne And them enlace in his [Cupid's] fyry chayne. 1502 Ord. Crysten Men (W. de W. 1506) i. iii. 17 To breke the bondes of the deuyll, of y⊇ whiche he hym helde enlasyd. 1587 Turberv. Trag. T. (1837) 163 And felt himselfe enlaste in love. 1859 Tennent Ceylon II. ix. vi. 520 The figs, and particularly the banyan..speedily seize upon the palmyra, enlacing it with their nimble shoots. 1877 Daily News 26 Dec. 3/1 They will enlace him in the coils of their red tape. |
b. transf. To surround closely, enfold, embrace.
| 1633 P. Fletcher Purple Isl. v. xi, The second all the city round enlaces. ― Elisa ii. 49 While he again her in his arms enlac'd. 1865 Carlyle Fredk. Gt. IX. xx. v. 78 The old Town..is enlaced..by a set of lakes and quagmires. |
2. To interlace, entwine, entangle. Also fig.
| c 1374 Chaucer Boeth. v. i. 149 Þe questioun of þe deuyne purueance is enlaced wiþ many oþer questiouns. 1509 Barclay Shyp of Folys (1570) 241 The violet..in bosome by me alway I beare, The same oft time inlased with my heare. 1868 Hawthorne Amer. Note-bks. (1879) I. 65 The leafy boughs and twigs of the underbrush enlace themselves. 1870 Morris Earthly Par. III. iv. 200 His fingers lovingly enlaced By other fingers. |
3. To cover as with a network.
| 1850 Kingsley Alt. Locke xxxvi. (1879) 375 The vast plains of Hindostan, enlaced with myriad silver rivers and canals. |
† 4. [See unlace, lace vbs.] To take off (the wings of a bird) in carving. Obs.
| c 1460 J. Russell Bk. Nurture in Babees Bk. (1868) 142 Take capoun or hen so enlased, & devide. |
Hence enˈlaced ppl. a.
| 1851 Mrs. Browning Casa Guidi W. 56 Doth he..Keep house..with inlaced Bare brawny arms about his favourite child. |