Grace

• POS: Noun, Verb (transitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

Grace, n. [F. grâce, L. gratia, from gratus beloved, dear, agreeable; perh. akin to Gr. to rejoice, cha`ris favor, grace, Skr. hary to desire, and E. yearn. Cf. Grateful, Gratis.].

•  The exercise of love, kindness, mercy, favor; disposition to benefit or serve another; favor bestowed or privilege conferred.  [1913 Webster]

  "To bow and sue for grace
  With suppliant knee."  [1913 Webster]
•  The divine favor toward man; the mercy of God, as distinguished from His justice; also, any benefits His mercy imparts; divine love or pardon; a state of acceptance with God; enjoyment of the divine favor.  [1913 Webster]

  "And if by grace, then is it no more of works."  [1913 Webster]

  "My grace is sufficicnt for thee."  [1913 Webster]

  "Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound."  [1913 Webster]

  "By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand."  [1913 Webster]
•  The prerogative of mercy execised by the executive, as pardon.  [1913 Webster]
•  Fortune; luck; -- used commonly with hard or sorry when it means misfortune.  Chaucer.  [1913 Webster]
•  Inherent excellence; any endowment or characteristic fitted to win favor or confer pleasure or benefit.  [1913 Webster]

  "He is complete in feature and in mind.
  With all good grace to grace a gentleman."  [1913 Webster]

  "I have formerly given the general character of Mr. Addison's style and manner as natural and unaffected, easy and polite, and full of those graces which a flowery imagination diffuses over writing."  [1913 Webster]
•  Beauty, physical, intellectual, or moral; loveliness; commonly, easy elegance of manners; perfection of form.  [1913 Webster]

  "Grace in women gains the affections sooner, and secures them longer, than any thing else."  [1913 Webster]

  "I shall answer and thank you again For the gift and the grace of the gift."  [1913 Webster]
•  Graceful and beautiful females, sister goddesses, represented by ancient writers as the attendants sometimes of Apollo but oftener of Venus. They were commonly mentioned as three in number; namely, Aglaia, Euphrosyne, and Thalia, and were regarded as the inspirers of the qualities which give attractiveness to wisdom, love, and social intercourse.  [1913 Webster]

  "The Graces love to weave the rose."  [1913 Webster]

  "The Loves delighted, and the Graces played."  [1913 Webster]
•  The title of a duke, a duchess, or an archbishop, and formerly of the king of England.  [1913 Webster]

  "How fares your Grace !"  [1913 Webster]
•  Thanks.  [1913 Webster]

  "Yielding graces and thankings to their lord Melibeus."  [1913 Webster]
•  A petition for grace; a blessing asked, or thanks rendered, before or after a meal.  [1913 Webster]
•  Ornamental notes or short passages, either introduced by the performer, or indicated by the composer, in which case the notation signs are called grace notes, appeggiaturas, turns, etc.  [1913 Webster]
•  An act, vote, or decree of the government of the institution; a degree or privilege conferred by such vote or decree.  Walton.  [1913 Webster]
•  A play designed to promote or display grace of motion. It consists in throwing a small hoop from one player to another, by means of two sticks in the hands of each. Called also grace hoop or hoops.  [1913 Webster]

  "That day of grace fleets fast away."

  "The grace cup follows to his sovereign's health."

  "To [Queen Margaret, of Scotland] . . . we owe the custom of the grace drink, she having established it as a rule at her table, that whosoever staid till grace was said was rewarded with a bumper."

  "Content to do the profession some grace."

  "What might have been done with a good grace would at least
  be done with a bad grace."

Syn. -- Elegance; comeliness; charm; favor; kindness; mercy.

Grace, v. t. 

•  To adorn; to decorate; to embellish and dignify.  [1913 Webster]

  "Great Jove and Phoebus graced his noble line."  [1913 Webster]

  "We are graced with wreaths of victory."  [1913 Webster]
•  To dignify or raise by an act of favor; to honor.  [1913 Webster]

  "He might, at his pleasure, grace or disgrace whom he would
  in court."  [1913 Webster]
•  To supply with heavenly grace.  Bp. Hall.  [1913 Webster]
•  To add grace notes, cadenzas, etc., to.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Grace, n. & v.
--n.
1 attractiveness, esp. in elegance of proportion or manner or movement; gracefulness.
2 courteous good will (had the grace to apologize).
3 an attractive feature; an accomplishment (social graces).
4 a (in Christian belief) the unmerited favour of God; a divine saving and strengthening influence. b the state of receiving this. c a divinely given talent.
5 goodwill, favour (fall from grace).
6 delay granted as a favour (a year's grace).
7 a short thanksgiving before or after a meal.
8 (Grace) (in Greek mythology) each of three beautiful sister goddesses, bestowers of beauty and charm.
9 (Grace) (prec. by His, Her, Your) forms of description or address for a duke, duchess, or archbishop.
--v.tr. (often foll. by with) add grace to, enhance; confer honour or dignity on (graced us with his presence).

Idiom

days of grace the time allowed by law for payment of a sum due. grace and favour house etc. Brit. a house etc. occupied by permission of a sovereign etc. grace-note Mus. an extra note as an embellishment not essential to the harmony or melody. in a person's good (or bad) graces regarded by a person with favour (or disfavour). with good (or bad) grace as if willingly (or reluctantly).

Etymology

ME f. OF f. L gratia f. gratus pleasing: cf. GRATEFUL

THESAURUS

Grace

Angelus, Atticism, Ave, Ave Maria, BOMFOG, Benthamism, Christian charity, Christian love, Hail Mary, Kyrie Eleison, Paternoster, ability, absolution, acciaccatura, acknowledgment, acquired taste, act of grace, act of kindness, address, adeptness, adorn, adroitness, advantageousness, agape, agreeableness, aid prayer, airmanship, altruism, amenities, amnesty, appeal, appealingness, appoggiatura, appreciation of excellence, appropriateness, arabesque, array, artfulness, artisanship, artistry, attractiveness, auspiciousness, beadroll, beads, beatification, beatitude, beauteousness, beautifulness, beautify, beauty, beauty unadorned, become one, becomingness, bedeck, bedizen, benediction, benefaction, beneficence, beneficialness, benefit, benevolence, benevolent disposition, benevolentness, benignity, beseechment, bestow honor upon, bewitchment, bidding prayer, bigheartedness, blazon, blessedness, blessing, bloom, boon, bravura, breeding, breviary, brilliance, brotherly love, cadence, cadenza, canonization, capability, capacity, captivation, caritas, censor, ceremonies, chaplet, charitableness, charity, charm, chasteness, chastity, choiceness, civilities, civilized taste, civilizedness, clarity, class, classicalism, classicism, clearness, clemency, cleverness, cogency, cognizance, collect, color, coloratura, comeliness, command, commiseration, communion, compassion, compassionateness, competence, condolence, confer distinction on, conscience, conscientiousness, consecration, considerateness, consideration, contemplation, control, coordination, correctness, courtesy, craft, craftsmanship, credit, crediting, cultivated taste, cultivation, culture, cunning, daintiness, dandify, decency, deck, deck out, decorate, decorum, dedication, deftness, delicacy, delightfulness, desert, devotion, devotions, dexterity, dextrousness, dignify, dignities, dignity, diplomacy, directness, discernment, discrimination, distinction, distinguish, division, dizen, do-goodism, doll up, dress, dress up, ease, efficiency, elegance, elegancies, elegancy, embellish, embellishment, emblazon, embroider, enchantment, enhance, enravishment, enrich, enshrinement, entrancement, entreaty, ethical self, etiquette, exaltation, excellence, exculpation, excuse, exemption, exoneration, expedience, expertise, exquisiteness, facility, fairness, fascination, fastidiousness, favor, favorableness, feeling, felicitousness, felicity, fig out, fineness, finesse, finish, fioritura, first-rateness, fittingness, fix up, flight, flourish, flow, flower power, flowing periods, fluency, forbearance, forgiveness, formalities, furbish, garnish, generosity, gentilities, giving, glamorize, glamour, glorification, glow, good deed, good manners, good offices, good taste, good turn, goodliness, goodness, goodwill, grace note, gracefulness, graces, gracility, graciosity, graciousness, greatheartedness, grip, gussy up, hallowing, handiness, handsomeness, healthiness, helpfulness, honor, horsemanship, humanitarianism, humanity, hymn, immunity, impetration, imploration, incidental, incidental note, indemnity, indulgence, ingeniousness, ingenuity, inner arbiter, intercession, invitingness, invocation, inward monitor, justification, justification by works, kind deed, kind offices, kindliness, kindly act, kindness, know-how, labor of love, largeheartedness, leniency, lenity, limpidity, litany, long mordent, love, love of mankind, loveliness, lucidity, luxury, manna, mannerliness, marksmanship, mastership, mastery, meditation, mercifulness, mercy, merit, mitigation, mitzvah, moral censor, mordent, naturalness, neatness, niceness, nicety, obligation, obsecration, obtestation, office, orison, ornament, paean, paint, pardon, passage, pathos, pellucidity, perspicuity, petition, philanthropism, philanthropy, pity, plainness, pleasantness, poetry, poise, polish, politeness, practical ability, praise, pralltriller, prank, prank up, prayer, prayer of thanks, prayer wheel, preen, prettify, prettiness, pretty up, primp, primp up, prink, prink up, proficiency, profitableness, propriety, prowess, pulchritude, purification, purity, quality, quarter, quickness, readiness, recognition, redecorate, redemption, redo, refinement, refurbish, relief, remission, remission of sin, reprieve, resource, resourcefulness, respite, responsiveness, restraint, rewardingness, rites, rituals, rogation, rosary, roulade, run, ruth, sainthood, sainting, sanctification, savoir faire, savoir-faire, savvy, seamanship, seemliness, self-pity, sensuousness, service, set off, set out, setting apart, shrift, signalize, silent prayer, simplicity, single mordent, skill, skillfulness, smarten, smarten up, smoothness, social conscience, sophistication, soundness, sparing, spruce up, state of grace, straightforwardness, style, suaveness, suavity, subtlety, suit, superego, superiority, suppleness, supplication, sympathy, tact, tactfulness, tantalizingness, taste, tastefulness, technical brilliance, technical mastery, technical skill, technique, temptingness, tender conscience, tenderness, terseness, thank offering, thank-you, thanks, thanksgiving, the beautiful, timing, titivate, trick out, trick up, trim, turn, twinge of conscience, unaffectedness, usefulness, utilitarianism, validity, value, virtue, virtuosity, virtuousness, voice of conscience, voluptuousness, welfarism, well-disposedness, wholeness, winningness, winsomeness, wit, witchery, wizardry, workmanship, worth

ROGET THESAURUS

Grace

Elegance

N elegance, purity, grace, ease, gracefulness, readiness, concinnity, euphony, numerosity, Atticism, classicalism, classicism, well rounded periods, well turned periods, flowing periods, the right word in the right place, antithesis, purist, elegant, polished, classical, Attic, correct, Ciceronian, artistic, chaste, pure, Saxon, academical, graceful, easy, readable, fluent, flowing, tripping, unaffected, natural, unlabored, mellifluous, euphonious, euphemism, euphemistic, numerose, rhythmical, felicitous, happy, neat, well put, neatly put, well expressed, neatly expressed.

Permission

N permission, leave, allowance, sufferance, tolerance, toleration, liberty, law, license, concession, grace, indulgence, favor, dispensation, exemption, release, connivance, vouchsafement, authorization, warranty, accordance, admission, permit, warrant, brevet, precept, sanction, authority, firman, hukm, pass, passport, furlough, license, carte blanche, ticket of leave, grant, charter, patent, letters patent, permitting, permissive, indulgent, permitted, patent, chartered, permissible, allowable, lawful, legitimate, legal, legalized, licit, unforbid, unforbidden, unconditional, by leave, with leave, on leave, speciali gratia, under favor of, pace, ad libitum, by all means, yes, avec permissin, brevet d'invention.

Giving

N giving, bestowal, bestowment, donation, presentation, presentment, accordance, concession, delivery, consignment, dispensation, communication, endowment, investment, investiture, award, almsgiving, charity, liberality, generosity, gift, donation, present, cadeau, fairing, free gift, boon, favor, benefaction, grant, offering, oblation, sacrifice, immolation, lagniappe, pilon, grace, act of grace, bonus, allowance, contribution, subscription, subsidy, tribute, subvention, bequest, legacy, devise, will, dotation, dot, appanage, voluntary settlement, voluntary conveyance, amortization, alms, largess, bounty, dole, sportule, donative, help, oblation, offertory, honorarium, gratuity, Peter pence, sportula, Christmas box, Easter offering, vail, douceur, drink money, pourboire, trinkgeld, bakshish, fee, consideration, bribe, bait, ground bait, peace offering, handsel, boodle, graft, grease, blat, giver, grantor, donor, feoffer, settlor, giving, given, allowed, allowable, concessional, communicable, charitable, eleemosynary, sportulary, tributary, gratis, donative, auctor pretiosa facit, ex dono, res est ingeniosa dare.

Piety

N piety, religion, theism, faith, religiousness, holiness, saintship, religionism, sanctimony, reverence, humility, veneration, devotion, prostration, grace, unction, edification, sanctity, sanctitude, consecration, spiritual existence, odor of sanctity, beauty of holiness, theopathy, beatification, adoption, regeneration, conversion, justification, sanctification, salvation, inspiration, bread of life, Body and Blood of Christ, believer, convert, theist, Christian, devotee, pietist, the good, the righteous, the just, the believing, the elect, Saint, Madonna, Notre Dame, Our Lady, the children of God, the children of the Kingdom, the children of the light, pious, religious, devout, devoted, reverent, godly, heavenly- minded, humble, pure, holy, spiritual, pietistic, saintly, saint-like, seraphic, sacred, solemn, believing, faithful, Christian, Catholic, elected, adopted, justified, sanctified, regenerated, inspired, consecrated, converted, unearthly, not of the earth, ne vile fano, pure-eyed Faith, thou hovering angel girt with golden wings.

Worship

N worship, adoration, devotion, aspiration, homage, service, humiliation, kneeling, genuflection, prostration, prayer, invocation, supplication, rogation, intercession, orison, holy breathing, petition, collect, litany, Lord's prayer, paternoster, beadroll, latria, dulia, hyperdulia, vigils, revival, cult, anxious meeting, camp meeting, ebenezer, virginal, thanksgiving, giving thanks, returning thanks, grace, praise, glorification, benediction, doxology, hosanna, hallelujah, allelujah, Te Deum, non nobis Domine, nunc dimittis, paean, benschen, Ave Maria, O Salutaris, Sanctus, The Annunciation, Tersanctus, Trisagion, psalm, psalmody, hymn, plain song, chant, chaunt, response, anthem, motet, antiphon, antiphony, oblation, sacrifice, incense, libation, burnt offering, heave offering, votive offering, offertory, discipline, self-discipline, self-examination, self-denial, fasting, divine service, office, duty, exercises, morning prayer, mass, matins, evensong, vespers, undernsong, tierce, holyday, worshipper, congregation, communicant, celebrant, worshipping, devout, devotional, reverent, pure, solemn, fervid, Int, hallelujah, allelujah!, hosanna!, glory be to God!, O Lord!, pray God that!, God grant, God bless, God save, God forbid!, sursum corda, making their lives a prayer, ora et labora, prayers ardent open heaven.

Beauty

N beauty, the beautiful, to kalon, le beau ideal, aesthetics, callaesthetics, pulchritude, form, elegance, grace, beauty unadorned, natural beauty, symmetry, comeliness, fairness, polish, gloss, good effect, good looks, belle tournure, trigness, bloom, brilliancy, radiance, splendor, gorgeousness, magnificence, sublimity, sublimification, concinnity, delicacy, refinement, charm, je ne sais quoi, style, Venus, Aphrodite, Hebe, the Graces, Peri, Houri, Cupid, Apollo, Hyperion, Adonis, Antionous, Narcissus, peacock, butterfly, garden, flower of, pink of, bijou, jewel, work of art, flower, flow'ret gay, wildflower, rose, lily, anemone, asphodel, buttercup, crane's bill, daffodil, tulip, tiger lily, day lily, begonia, marigold, geranium, lily of the valley, ranunculus, rhododendron, windflower, pleasurableness, beautifying, landscaping, landscape gardening, decoration, calisthenics, beauty, hunk (of men), beautiful, beauteous, handsome, gorgeous, pretty, lovely, graceful, elegant, prepossessing, attractive, delicate, dainty, refined, fair, personable, comely, seemly, bonny, good-looking, well-favored, well-made, well-formed, well- proportioned, proper, shapely, symmetrical, harmonious, sightly, fit to be seen, passable, not amiss, goodly, dapper, tight, jimp, gimp, janty, jaunty, trig, natty, quaint, trim, tidy, neat, spruce, smart, tricksy, bright, bright eyed, rosy cheeked, cherry cheeked, rosy, ruddy, blooming, in full bloom, brilliant, shining, beamy, beaming, sparkling, splendid, resplendent, dazzling, glowing, glossy, sleek, rich, superb, magnificent, grand, fine, sublime, showy, specious, artistic, artistical, aesthetic, picturesque, pictorial, fait a peindre, well-composed, well grouped, well varied, curious, enchanting becoming, ornamental, undeformed, undefaced, unspotted, spotless, auxilium non leve vultus habet, beauty born of murmuring sound, flowers preach to us if we will hear, gratior ac pulchro veniens in corpore virtus, none but the brave deserve the fair, thou who hast the fatal gift of beauty.

VB be beautiful, shine, beam, bloom, become one, set off, grace, render beautiful, beautify, polish, burnish, gild, set out, snatch a grace beyond the reach of art.

Taste

N taste, good taste, refined taste, cultivated taste, delicacy, refinement, fine feeling, gust, gusto, tact, finesse, nicety, to prepon, polish, elegance, grace, judgment, discernment, dilettantism, dilettanteism, virtu, fine art, culture, cultivation, aesthetics, man of taste, connoisseur, judge, critic, conoscente, virtuoso, amateur, dilettante, Aristarchus, Corinthian, arbiter elegantiarum, stagirite, euphemist, caviare to the general, in good taste, cute, tasteful, tasty, unaffected, pure, chaste, classical, attic, cultivated, refined, dainty, esthetic, aesthetic, artistic, elegant, euphemistic, to one's taste, to one's mind, after one's fancy, comme il faut, tire a quatre epingles, elegantly, nihil tetigit quod non ornavit, chacun a son gout, oculi pictura tenentur aures cantibus, taste, flavor, gust, gusto, savor, gout, relish, sapor, sapidity, twang, smack, smatch, aftertaste, tang, tasting, degustation, gustation, palate, tongue, tooth, stomach, sapid, saporific, gustable, gustatory, gustful, strong, gamy, palatable.

Title

N title, honor, knighthood, highness, excellency, grace, lordship, worship, reverence, reverend, esquire, sir, master, Mr, signor, senor, Mein Herr, mynheer, your honor, his honor, serene highness, handle to one's name, decoration, laurel, palm, wreath, garland, bays, medal, ribbon, riband, blue ribbon, cordon, cross, crown, coronet, star, garter, feather, feather in one's cap, epaulet, epaulette, colors, cockade, livery, order, arms, shield, scutcheon, reward.

Pity

N pity, compassion, commiseration, bowels, of compassion, sympathy, fellow-feeling, tenderness, yearning, forbearance, humanity, mercy, clemency, leniency, charity, ruth, long- suffering, melting mood, argumentum ad misericordiam, quarter, grace, locus paenitentiae, sympathizer, advocate, friend, partisan, patron, wellwisher, pitying, pitiful, compassionate, sympathetic, touched, merciful, clement, ruthful, humane, humanitarian, tender, tender hearted, tender as a chicken, soft, soft hearted, unhardened, lenient, exorable, forbearing, melting, weak, Int, for pity's sake!, mercy!, have mercy!, cry you mercy!, God help you!, poor thing!, poor dear!, poor fellow!, woe betide!, quis talia fando temperet a lachrymiss!, one's heart bleeding for, haud ignara mali miseris succurrere disco, a fellow feeling makes one wondrous kind, onor di bocca assai giova e poco costa.

Gratitude

N gratitude, thankfulness, feeling of obligation, sense of obligation, acknowledgment, recognition, thanksgiving, thanksgiving, giving thanks, thankful good will, thanks, praise, benediction, paean, Te Deum, grace, grace before meat, grace after meat, grace before meals, grace after meals, thank offering, requital, grateful, thankful, obliged, beholden, indebted to, under obligation, Int, thanks!, many thanks!, gramercy!, much obliged!, thank you!, thank you very much!, thanks a lot!, thanks a heap, thanks loads, thank Heaven!, Heaven be praised!, Gott sei Dank!.

Forgiveness

N forgiveness, pardon, condonation, grace, remission, absolution, amnesty, oblivion, indulgence, reprieve, conciliation, reconcilement, reconciliation, propitiation, excuse, exoneration, quittance, release, indemnity, bill of indemnity, act of indemnity, covenant of indemnity, deed of indemnity, exculpation, longanimity, placability, amantium irae, locus paenitentiae, forbearance, forgiving, placable, conciliatory, forgiven, unresented, unavenged, unrevenged, cry you mercy, veniam petimusque damusque vicissim, more in sorrow than in anger, comprendre tout c'est tout pardonner, the offender never pardons.

Probity

N probity, integrity, rectitude, uprightness, honesty, faith, honor, bonne foi, good faith, bona fides, purity, clean hands, fairness, fair play, justice, equity, impartiality, principle, even-handedness, grace, constancy, faithfulness, fidelity, loyalty, incorruption, incorruptibility, trustworthiness, truth, candor, singleness of heart, veracity, tender conscience, punctilio, delicacy, nicety, scrupulosity, scrupulousness, scruple, point, point of honor, punctuality, dignity, (repute), respectability, respectableness, gentilhomme, gentleman, man of honor, man of his word, fidus Achates, preux chevalier, galantuomo, truepenny, trump, brick, true Briton, white man, court of honor, a fair field and no favor, argumentum ad verecundiam, upright, honest, honest as daylight, veracious, virtuous, honorable, fair, right, just, equitable, impartial, evenhanded, square, fair and aboveboard, open and aboveboard, white, constant, constant as the northern star, faithful, loyal, staunch, true, true blue, true to one's colors, true to the core, true as the needle to the pole, marble-constant, true- hearted, trusty, trustworthy, as good as one's word, to be depended on, incorruptible, straightforward, frank, candid, open-hearted, conscientious, tender-conscienced, right-minded, high-principled, high-minded, scrupulous, religious, strict, nice, punctilious, correct, punctual, respectable, reputable, gentlemanlike, inviolable, inviolate, unviolated, unbroken, unbetrayed, unbought, unbribed, innocent, pure, stainless, unstained, untarnished, unsullied, untainted, unperjured, uncorrupt, uncorrupted, undefiled, undepraved, undebauched, integer vitae scelerisque purus, justus et tenax propositi, chivalrous, jealous of honor, sans peur et sans reproche, high-spirited, supramundane, unworldly, other-worldly, overscrupulous, honorable, bona fide, on the square, in good faith, honor bright, foro conscientiae, with clean hands, a face untaught to feign, bene qui latuit bene vixit, mens sibi conscia recti, probitas laudatur et alget, fidelis ad urnam, his heart as far from fraud as heaven from earth, loyaute m'oblige, loyaute n'a honte, what stronger breastplate than a heart untainted?.