mace

• POS: Noun, Verb (transitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

mace, n. [Jav. & Malay. mās, fr. Skr. māsha a bean.].

 A money of account in China equal to one tenth of a tael; also, a weight of 57.98 grains.  S. W. Williams.  [1913 Webster]

mace, n. [F. macis, L. macis, macir, Gr. ; cf. Skr. makaranda the nectar or honey of a flower, a fragrant mango.].

 A kind of spice; the aril which partly covers nutmegs. See Nutmeg.  [1913 Webster]
" Red mace is the aril of Myristica tingens, and white mace that of Myristica Otoba, -- East Indian trees of the same genus with the nutmeg tree."  [1913 Webster]

mace, n. [OF. mace, F. masse, from (assumed) L. matea, of which the dim. mateola a kind of mallet or beetle, is found.].

•  A heavy staff or club of metal; a spiked club; -- used as weapon in war before the general use of firearms, especially in the Middle Ages, for breaking metal armor.  Chaucer.  [1913 Webster]

  "Death with his mace petrific . . . smote."  [1913 Webster]
•  A staff borne by, or carried before, a magistrate as an ensign of his authority.  Wordsworth.  [1913 Webster]
•  An officer who carries a mace as an emblem of authority; a macebearer.  Macaulay.  [1913 Webster]
•  A knobbed mallet used by curriers in dressing leather to make it supple.  [1913 Webster]
•  A rod for playing billiards, having one end suited to resting on the table and pushed with one hand.  [1913 Webster]

mace, prop. n. [Trademark.].

 A chemical preparation containing tear gas in a solvent, packaged in the form of a spray, and used to temporarily incapacitate people, such as rioters or criminals, by causing intense eye and skin irritation; also called chemical mace. It is designed to be a non-lethal weapon for defending against violent people.  [PJC]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

mace, n.
1 a staff of office, esp. the symbol of the Speaker's authority in the House of Commons.
2 hist. a heavy club usu. having a metal head and spikes.
3 a stick used in the game of bagatelle.
4 = mace-bearer.

Idiom

mace-bearer an official who carries a mace on ceremonial occasions.

mace, n. the dried outer covering of the nutmeg, used as a spice.

Etymology

ME macis (taken as pl.) f. OF macis f. L macir a red spicy bark

DEVIL DICTIONARY

mace

n. A staff of office signifying authority. Its form, that of a heavy club, indicates its original purpose and use in dissuading from dissent.

THESAURUS

mace

armory, badge, badge of office, badges, bastinado, bat, baton, battering ram, billy, billy club, blackjack, blazonry, bludgeon, brassard, button, caduceus, cane, cap and gown, chain, chain of office, cheat, class ring, club, cockade, collar, con man, crook, crosier, cross, cross-staff, cudgel, decoration, diddler, dress, eagle, emblems, ensigns, fasces, ferule, figurehead, fleur-de-lis, flimflammer, gavel, gyp, hammer and sickle, heraldry, insignia, knobkerrie, lapel pin, life preserver, livery, mantle, markings, medal, morning star, mortarboard, mountebank, nightstick, old school tie, paddle, pin, portfolio, quarterstaff, ram, regalia, ring, rod, rod of office, rose, sandbag, scepter, school ring, shamrock, sharpie, shillelagh, sigillography, skull and crossbones, sphragistics, spontoon, staff, stave, stick, swastika, tartan, thistle, tie, truncheon, uniform, verge, wand, wand of office, war club

ROGET THESAURUS

mace

Arms

N arm, arms, weapon, deadly weapon, armament, armaments, armature, panoply, stand of arms, armor, armory, apparatus belli, ammunition, powder, powder and shot, cartridge, ball cartridge, cartouche, fireball, villainous saltpeter, dumdum bullet, explosive, gunpowder, guncotton, mercury fulminate, picrates, pentaerythritol tetranitrate, PETN, high explosive, trinitrotoluene, TNT, dynamite, melinite, cordite, lyddite, plastic explosive, plastique, pyroxyline, sword, saber, broadsword, cutlass, falchion, scimitar, cimeter, brand, whinyard, bilbo, glaive, glave, rapier, skean, Toledo, Ferrara, tuck, claymore, adaga, baselard, Lochaber ax, skean dhu, creese, kris, dagger, dirk, banger, poniard, stiletto, stylet, dudgeon, bayonet, sword-bayonet, sword-stick, side arms, foil, blade, steel, ax, bill, pole-ax, battle-ax, gisarme, halberd, partisan, tomahawk, bowie knife, ataghan, attaghan, yataghan, yatacban, assagai, assegai, good sword, trusty sword, naked sword, cold steel, club, mace, truncheon, staff, bludgeon, cudgel, life preserver, shillelah, sprig, hand staff, quarter staff, bat, cane, stick, knuckle duster, billy, blackjack, sandbag, waddy, gun, piece, firearms, artillery, ordnance, siege train, battering train, park, battery, cannon, gun of position, heavy gun, field piece, mortar, howitzer, carronade, culverin, basilisk, falconet, jingal, swivel, pederero, bouche a feu, petard, torpedo, mitrailleur, mitrailleuse, infernal machine, smooth bore, rifled cannon, Armstrong gun, Lancaster gun, Paixhan gun, Whitworth gun, Parrott gun, Krupp gun, Gatling gun, Maxim gun, machine gun, pompom, ten pounder, small arms, musket, musketry, firelock, fowling piece, rifle, fusil, caliver, carbine, blunderbuss, musketoon, Brown Bess, matchlock, harquebuss, arquebus, haguebut, pistol, postolet, petronel, small bore, breach-loader, muzzle-loader, revolver, repeater, Minis rifle, Enfield rifle, Flobert rifle, Westley Richards rifle, Snider rifle, Martini-Henry rifle, Lee-Metford rifle, Lee-Enfield rifle, Mauser rifle, magazine rifle, needle gun, chassepot, wind gun, air gun, automatic gun, automatic pistol, escopet, escopette, gunflint, gun- lock, hackbut, shooter, shooting iron, six-shooter, shotgun, Uzzi, assault rifle, Kalashnikov, bow, crossbow, balister, catapult, sling, battering ram, gunnery, ballistics, missile, bolt, projectile, shot, ball, grape, grape shot, canister shot, bar shot, cannon shot, langrel shot, langrage shot, round shot, chain shot, balista, ballista, slung shot, trebucbet, trebucket, bullet, slug, stone, brickbat, grenade, shell, bomb, carcass, rocket, congreve, congreve rocket, shrapnel, mitraille, levin bolt, levin brand, thunderbolt, pike, lance, spear, spontoon, javelin, dart, jereed, jerid, arrow, reed, shaft, bolt, boomerang, harpoon, gaff, eelspear, oxgoad, weet-weet, wommerah, cattle prod, chemical mace, en flute, nervos belli pecuniam infinitam.

Scepter

N scepter, regalia, caduceus, Mercury's rod, Mercury's staff, Mercury's wand, rod of empire, mace, fasces, wand, staff, staff of office, baton, truncheon, flag, ensign of authority, emblem of authority, badge of authority, insignia of authority, throne, chair, musnud, divan, dais, woolsack, toga, pall, mantle, robes of state, ermine, purple, crown, coronet, diadem, tiara, cap of maintenance, decoration, title, portfolio, key, signet, seals, talisman, helm, reins.

Condiment

N condiment, seasoning, sauce, spice, relish, appetizer, salt, mustard, grey poupon mustard, pepper, black pepper, white pepper, peppercorn, curry, sauce piquante, caviare, onion, garlic, pickle, achar, allspice, bell pepper, Jamaica pepper, green pepper, chutney, cubeb, pimento, capsicum, red pepper, chili peppers, cayenne, nutmeg, mace, cinnamon, oregano, cloves, fennel, pot herbs, parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme, bay leaves, marjoram, frankincense, balm, myrrh, paprika, saffron, ginger, turmeric.