Definition of MACE

mace

Meanings

Plural: maces

Noun

  • (trademark) a liquid that temporarily disables a person; prepared as an aerosol and sprayed in the face, it irritates the eyes and causes dizziness and immobilization
  • an official who carries a mace of office
  • spice made from the dried fleshy covering of the nutmeg seed
  • a ceremonial staff carried as a symbol of office or authority
  • A heavy fighting club.
  • A ceremonial form of this weapon.
  • A long baton used by some drum majors to keep time and lead a marching band. If this baton is referred to as a mace, by convention it has a ceremonial often decorative head, which, if of metal, usually is hollow and sometimes intricately worked.
  • An officer who carries a mace as a token of authority.
  • A knobbed mallet used by curriers to make leather supple when dressing it.
  • A billiard cue.
  • A spice obtained from the outer layer of the kernel of the fruit of the nutmeg.
  • Tear gas or pepper spray, especially for personal use.
  • An old money of account in China equal to one tenth of a tael.
  • An old weight of 57.98 grains, approximately 3.8 grams.

Verb

  • To hit someone or something with a mace.
  • To spray in defense or attack with mace (pepper spray or tear gas) using a hand-held device.
  • To spray a similar noxious chemical in defense or attack using an available hand-held device such as an aerosol spray can.

Origin / Etymology

From Middle English mace, borrowed from Old French mace, mache, from Vulgar Latin *mattia, *mattea, matia, (compare Italian mazza, Spanish maza), probably from Proto-West Germanic *mattjō (“cutting tool, hoe”).

Synonyms

chee, Chemical Mace, macebearer, macer, tsien

Scrabble Score: 8

mace is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL word
mace is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
mace is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 10

mace is a valid Words With Friends word