grace

noun

1. elegance or beauty of form, manner, motion, or action: We watched her skate with effortless grace across the ice.
2. a pleasing or attractive quality or endowment: He lacked the manly graces.
3. favor or goodwill.
4. a manifestation of favor, especially by a superior: It was only through the dean’s grace that I wasn’t expelled from school.
5. mercy; clemency; pardon: He was saved by an act of grace from the governor.
6. favor shown in granting a delay or temporary immunity.
7. an allowance of time after a debt or bill has become payable granted to the debtor before suit can be brought against him or her or a penalty applied: The life insurance premium is due today, but we have 31 days’ grace before the policy lapses.Compare grace period.
8. Theology.
   1. the freely given, unmerited favor and love of God.
   2. the influence or spirit of God operating in humans to regenerate or strengthen them.
   3. a virtue or excellence of divine origin: the Christian graces.
   4. Also called state of grace.the condition of being in God’s favor or one of the elect.
9. moral strength: the grace to perform a duty.
10. a short prayer before or after a meal, in which a blessing is asked and thanks are given: Grandfather will now say grace.
11. (usually initial capital letter) a formal title used in addressing or mentioning a duke, duchess, or archbishop, and formerly also a sovereign (usually preceded by your, his, etc.).
12. Graces, Classical Mythology. the goddesses of beauty, daughters of Zeus and Eurynome, worshiped in Greece as the Charities and in Rome as the Gratiae.
13. Music. grace note.

verb (used with object), graced, grac·ing.

14. to lend or add grace to; adorn: Many fine paintings graced the rooms of the house.
15. to favor or honor: to grace an occasion with one’s presence.

Idioms

16. but for the grace of God, under less fortunate circumstances: But for the grace of God, the brick that just fell from the roof would have hit me on the head!
17. by the grace of God, thankfully; fortunately: By the grace of God, I won’t have to deal with tax returns for another year.
18. fall from grace,
    1. Theology.to relapse into sin or disfavor.
    2. to lose favor; be discredited: He fell from grace when the boss found out he had lied.
19. have the grace to, to be so kind as to: Would you have the grace to help, please?
20. in someone’s good/bad graces, regarded with favor (or disfavor) by someone: It is a wonder that I have managed to stay in her good graces this long.
21. with bad grace, reluctantly; grudgingly: He apologized, but did so with bad grace.Also with a bad grace.
22. with good grace, willingly; ungrudgingly: She took on the extra work with good grace.

noun

1. elegance and beauty of movement, form, expression, or proportion
2. a pleasing or charming quality
3. goodwill or favour
4. the granting of a favour or the manifestation of goodwill, esp by a superior
5. a sense of propriety and consideration for others
6. (plural)
   1. affectation of manner (esp in the phrase airs and graces)
   2. in someone’s good gracesregarded favourably and with kindness by someone
7. mercy; clemency
8. Christianity
   1. the free and unmerited favour of God shown towards man
   2. the divine assistance and power given to man in spiritual rebirth and sanctification
   3. the condition of being favoured or sanctified by God
   4. an unmerited gift, favour, etc, granted by God
9. a short prayer recited before or after a meal to invoke a blessing upon the food or give thanks for it
10. music a melodic ornament or decoration
11. See days of grace
12. with bad grace or with a bad grace unwillingly or grudgingly
13. with good grace or with a good grace willingly or cheerfully

verb

14. (tr) to add elegance and beauty toflowers graced the room
15. (tr) to honour or favourto grace a party with one’s presence
16. to ornament or decorate (a melody, part, etc) with nonessential notes

noun

1. (preceded by your, his, or her) a title used to address or refer to a duke, duchess, or archbishop

noun

1. W (illiam) G (ilbert). 1848–1915, English cricketer

fem. proper name, literally “favor, grace;” see grace (n.). v.c.1200, “to thank,” from Old French gracier, from grace (see grace (n.)). Meaning “to show favor” (mid-15c.) led to that of “to lend or add grace to something” (1580s, e.g. grace us with your presence), which is the root of the musical sense in grace notes (1650s). Related: Graced; gracing. n.late 12c., “God’s favor or help,” from Old French grace “pardon, divine grace, mercy; favor, thanks; elegance, virtue” (12c.), from Latin gratia “favor, esteem, regard; pleasing quality, good will, gratitude” (source of Italian grazia, Spanish gracia), from gratus “pleasing, agreeable,” from PIE root *gwere- “to favor” (cf. Sanskrit grnati “sings, praises, announces,” Lithuanian giriu “to praise, celebrate,” Avestan gar- “to praise”). Sense of “virtue” is early 14c., that of “beauty of form or movement, pleasing quality” is mid-14c. In classical sense, “one of the three sister goddesses (Latin Gratiæ, Greek Kharites), bestowers of beauty and charm,” it is first recorded in English 1579 in Spenser. The short prayer that is said before or after a meal (early 13c.; until 16c. usually graces) has a sense of “gratitude.” see fall from grace; in someone’s bad graces; in someone’s good graces; saving grace; say grace; there but for the grace of god; with good grace.