apace, adv.
(əˈpeɪs)
Forms: 4–5 apaas, apas, 4–6 apase, 4– apace.
[orig. phr. a pace, like afoot, ahead, f. a prep.1 of manner + pace, formerly pas, paas.]
lit. At a pace, i.e. at a considerable or good pace; hence, With speed; swiftly, quickly, fast. a. orig. of the pace of men.
| c 1350 Rom. Athelston in Rel. Ant. II. 98 Thorwȝout he went a pase. c 1374 Chaucer Troylus iv. 465 He cometh to hym apaas. c 1400 Rom. Rose 3724 To Bialacoil she wente apas. 1549 Coverdale Erasm. Par. Gal. v. 7 Ye dyd once runne apace, makyng hastye spede. 1611 Bible Ps. lxviii. 12 Kings of armies did flee apace. 1719 De Foe Crusoe (1858) 486 They are coming towards us too, apace. 1837 Disraeli Venetia i. xiv. (1871) 67 He..pushed on apace. |
b. of motion generally, as flowing, gliding, sailing, flying; and hence of the flight of time.
| 1535 Coverdale Ps. lviii. 6 Like water y{supt} runneth a pace. ― Jer. xlviii. 14 The destruction off Moab commeth on a pace. 1665 Manley Grotius's Low-C. Wars 101 Autumn now coming on apace. 1702 Pope Jan. & May 783 The ready tears apace began to flow. 1762 Falconer Shipwr. ii. 35 Around before the squall she veers apace. 1813 Scott Trierm. i. xx, With lay and tale, and laugh, and jest, Apace the evening flew. 1878 R. B. Smith Carthage 260 The news..reached Rome apace. |
c. of speed or progress in any action.
| a 1423 James I King's Q. iv. viii, The werk that first is foundit sure May better bere apace. 1530 Palsgr. 418 Thought maketh men age a pace. 1550 Crowley Epigr. 1020 Good Esay doeth cursse them apase. 1604 Rowlands Looke to it 8 Hoording wealth apace. 1611 Cotgr., s.v. Herbe, An ill weed growes apace. 1628 Digby Voy. Medit. 9 My men begun to sicken apace. 1713 Derham Phys. Theol. 16 It rained a-pace. 1800 Wellington in Gurwood Disp. I. 192 Dhoondiah's followers are quitting him apace. 1829 Southey All for Love iii. Wks. VII. 166 The church Already fills apace. 1841 Miss Sedgwick Lett. fr. Abr. I. 24 Our friendship ripens apace. |
† d. of quickness in proceeding to act: At once, immediately. Obs.
| c 1325 Cœur de L. 4041 Now leth in pes, lystenes apas! 1553 A. Wilson Rhet. 15 b, We hang theim a pace that offend a lawe. 1723 S. Centlivre Stolen Heiress v. 371 Do not push me from thee..For I shall die apace, and go before. |