grace
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a smooth and beautiful way of moving your body.
n.elegance and poise in physical movement or posture.
Simple“The dancer moved across the stage with amazing grace and power.”
In context“Even in her advanced years, the former athlete carried herself with a natural grace that commanded immediate respect from everyone in the room.”
Antonymsclumsinessawkwardness - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a polite and pleasant way of behaving, especially in a difficult situation.
n.courteous goodwill or a willingness to be fair and decent.
Simple“He had the grace to admit he was wrong and apologised to the team.”
In context“She handled the public criticism with remarkable grace, refusing to engage in petty arguments with her detractors.”
- 03 B1 Intermediate
n.a short prayer said before or after a meal to give thanks.
n.a short prayer of thanksgiving offered before or after a meal.
Simple“The family sat down and said grace before they started eating dinner.”
In context“It was a long-standing tradition in their household for the youngest child to recite grace before the holiday feast began.”
Synonyms - 04 C1 Advanced
n.extra time allowed to pay a bill or finish a task after the deadline.
n.a period of time allowed for compliance with a requirement or for payment of a debt after the official deadline has passed.
Simple“The bank gave us a three-day grace period to pay the mortgage.”
In context“The contract includes a ten-day grace period, during which no late fees will be accrued despite the missed deadline.”
Synonyms - 05 C1 Advanced
n.in religion, the kindness and love that God shows to people.
n.the free and unmerited favour of God, as manifested in the salvation of sinners and the bestowal of blessings.
Simple“They believed that they were saved by the grace of God.”
In context“The sermon focused on the concept of divine grace as a transformative force that operates independently of human merit.”
- 06 C2 Proficiency
n.a small extra note added to a melody to make it sound more beautiful.
n.an extra note printed in small type, added as an ornament to a basic melody.
Simple“The flautist added a quick grace note before the final high C.”
In context“The performer's interpretation of the baroque suite was noted for its delicate use of grace notes and trills.”
Synonymsornamentappoggiatura - 07 C1 Advanced
v.to make something more attractive or to honour a place with your presence.
v.to bring honour or dignity to something by one's presence; to adorn or embellish.
Simple“Several famous paintings grace the walls of the old library.”
In context“We were deeply moved that the retired professor chose to grace our small ceremony with his presence.”
From the noun grace, first used by Puritans in the 16th century. In Roman Catholic use it may refer to Our Lady of Graces, cognate with Italian Grazia.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.