Liberal Dictionary English Dictionary
noun
- a temporary shift or variation in a normal routine or regular pattern of activity: Reading a mystery novel has been a real change of pace for me.
- Also called change-up [cheynj-uhp] /ˈtʃeɪndʒˌʌp/. Baseball. a ball that is thrown by a pitcher with the same motion as for a fastball but that travels with less speed, making the pitch more difficult for the batter to time.
A shift in normal routine, a variation in usual activities or pattern, as in She’s smiling in that one photo, just for a change of pace, or After six hours at my desk I need a change of pace, so I’m going for a swim. This term originated in a number of sports where strategy can involve altering the speed of, for example, a pitched or struck ball or a horse’s gait. By the mid-1900s it was being transferred to other enterprises.