grace
/ɡreɪs/ (bre, ipa) · [ɡrˈes] /ɡreɪs/ (ame, ipa) · [ɡrˈes] /ˈgrās/ (ame, mw)
grace — noun
- gracesingular
- gracesplural
1. the appealing ease that makes movement, appearance, or expression seem beautiful
the appealing ease that makes movement, appearance, or expression seem beautifully controlled.
Rachel moved across the stage with grace during the final bow.
move with grace
Even on the wet path, the white horse kept its grace.
The dancer's long arms gave every turn a feeling of grace.
Sunlight and fresh flowers added grace to the small hotel lobby.
- awkwardness
shows a lack of smooth control
- clumsiness
emphasises rough, unsteady movement
文法句型
move with grace
have grace in + movement
dance with grace
用法筆記
Often used for smooth movement, but it can also describe a face, smile, or room that gives a simple, attractive impression.
常見錯誤
2. a calm and generous way of treating people, especially when it would be easy to
a calm and generous way of treating people, especially when it would be easy to be proud, angry, or unfair.
Felix accepted the prize with grace and thanked the other finalists.
accept + situation + with grace
After the rude question, Trang answered with grace and changed the subject.
respond with grace
The coach showed grace by praising the team that had beaten him.
Even during the budget dispute, Heloisa kept her grace as chair.
- graciousness
is close but slightly more formal and strongly tied to polite warmth
- courtesy
focuses more on politeness itself than on generous fairness
- magnanimity
is more literary and stresses generosity toward an opponent
文法句型
accept + situation + with grace
show grace under pressure
respond with grace
用法筆記
Often appears when someone keeps dignity and fairness in a tense or disappointing moment. Distinguish from sense 3: this sense is about inner manner, not learned social habits.
常見錯誤
3. the polite habits and small social skills that help someone behave well with oth
the polite habits and small social skills that help someone behave well with other people.
At boarding school, Walid learned the social graces of formal dinners.
learn the social graces
Sivan never mastered the graces expected at embassy parties.
the graces expected at + event
The workshop teaches teenagers basic graces like introducing guests politely.
Without the social graces, the brilliant chef still offended many investors.
- manners
is the broad everyday word for polite behaviour
- etiquette
focuses more on formal rules and conventions
- courtesies
often refers to polite acts one by one
- bad manners
shows poor social behaviour
- boorishness
is a more forceful word for rough, impolite behaviour
文法句型
learn the social graces
lack the social graces
teach + person + the social graces
用法筆記
Most often used in the plural, especially in 'social graces'. Distinguish from sense 2: sense 3 names learned manners and etiquette rather than someone's generous character.
常見錯誤
4. in Christianity, the undeserved love, forgiveness, and help that God gives to pe
in Christianity, the undeserved love, forgiveness, and help that God gives to people.
Pastor Chen spoke about God's grace during the Easter morning service.
God's grace
After years of guilt, Nila found comfort in the idea of grace.
The hymn thanks Jesus for grace that no one can earn.
Many believers see grace as God's answer to human failure.
- judgment
stresses punishment or blame instead of loving forgiveness
文法句型
God's grace
live by grace
saved by grace
用法筆記
This sense belongs mainly to Christian teaching and often appears with words such as God, sin, forgiveness, and salvation.
5. God's help or protection, mentioned when saying that something happened because
God's help or protection, mentioned when saying that something happened because he allowed or supported it.
By the grace of God, the fishing boat reached shore before dawn.
by the grace of God
The family says their son survived only by grace.
survive only by grace
By God's grace, the church found enough money to rebuild the roof.
Old farmers once said a good harvest came by the Lord's grace.
- providence
is a more formal religious word for God's guiding care
- blessing
can refer to a helpful gift or outcome from God
文法句型
by the grace of God
only by grace
用法筆記
Most often appears in set religious phrases, especially 'by the grace of God'. Unlike sense 4, it points to a specific rescue or result rather than God's loving favor in general.
6. words of thanks to God spoken just before people begin eating.
words of thanks to God spoken just before people begin eating.
Grandpa asked Jason to say grace before the soup was served.
say grace
Before the picnic, the pastor led a simple grace under the trees.
lead a simple grace
The children stayed quiet while their mother finished saying grace.
At Christmas lunch, the family never starts eating before grace.
文法句型
say grace
ask + person + to say grace
a short grace before dinner
用法筆記
Usually appears in the fixed expression 'say grace'. In many contexts the word alone already implies a short Christian prayer before a meal.
常見錯誤
7. extra time officially allowed before a payment, duty, or deadline must be met.
extra time officially allowed before a payment, duty, or deadline must be met.
The phone company gives customers a ten-day grace period for late bills.
grace period
After the storm, the school offered a grace period for tuition payments.
offer a grace period
Rent is due on Monday, but the lease includes three days of grace.
Without a grace period, many drivers would lose their permits immediately.
- deadline
is the final time limit instead of the extra time after it
文法句型
a grace period of + time
grant + person + a grace period
during the grace period
用法筆記
Most often appears in phrases such as 'grace period' or 'days of grace'. Unlike a full cancellation, this sense only delays what still has to be done.
常見錯誤
8. an honorific used when speaking to certain high-ranking nobles or church leaders
an honorific used when speaking to certain high-ranking nobles or church leaders.
Your Grace, the guests from York have arrived at the palace gate.
Your Grace
The letter begins, 'Your Grace,' before the request for help.
letter opening: Your Grace
At court, every servant addressed the duchess as Her Grace.
The guide explained why the archbishop was called His Grace.
文法句型
Your Grace
His Grace
Her Grace
用法筆記
This is a very formal title and is usually written with a capital letter. It belongs to aristocratic or church settings, not everyday conversation.
grace — verb
- gracepresent simple I / you / we / they
- graces3rd person singular
- gracing-ing form
- gracedpast simple
1. to make a place or thing more beautiful by being there or by being added to it.
to make a place or thing more beautiful by being there or by being added to it.
Fresh lilies graced the front table at the wedding breakfast.
grace + place/thing
A wide smile graced Baraka's face after the exam results.
grace + face
Tall pine trees grace the hill behind the village school.
The museum hall was graced by a new painting from Kyoto.
- spoil
means making the appearance worse instead of better
文法句型
grace + place/thing
be graced by + thing/person
用法筆記
Often appears in formal description, especially with flowers, buildings, faces, and landscapes. The subject is the thing that adds beauty, not the place receiving it.
常見錯誤
2. to bring honor or added importance to an event or place by appearing or taking p
to bring honor or added importance to an event or place by appearing or taking part.
The mayor graced the school opening with a short welcome speech.
grace + event + with + speech
A famous chef will grace tonight's charity dinner with her presence.
grace + event + with + presence
The retired judge graced the law forum and answered student questions.
For one evening, the singer graced our small town festival.
文法句型
grace + event/place + with + presence
grace + occasion + with + speech/visit
用法筆記
Usually used when an admired or important person attends something. Unlike sense 1, the focus is the honor of the visit itself, not physical beauty.