grace
B2Formal, neutral, literary
Definition
Meaning
Simple elegance or refinement of movement; courteous goodwill; divine love and protection.
A temporary exemption from consequences; an unmerited favour; the quality of being pleasant and considerate; a title for a duke, duchess, or archbishop; a short prayer of thanks before or after a meal.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The noun encompasses both secular (elegance, politeness) and religious (divine favour) domains. As a verb, it often means 'to honour or dignify'.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal. 'Your Grace' is used for dukes/duchesses in the UK, less so in the US where the title is rare. 'Saying grace' is slightly more common in American family contexts.
Connotations
In UK, stronger historical association with aristocracy and the state church. In US, stronger association with 'God's grace' in evangelical contexts.
Frequency
Comparably frequent in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
grace somebody/something with somethingbe graced by somebody/somethinghave the grace to do somethingVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “There but for the grace of God go I.”
- “fall from grace”
- “with good/bad grace”
- “a saving grace”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
A 'grace period' for payment after a deadline.
Academic
In theology: divine grace; in music: a grace note.
Everyday
Moving with grace; saying grace before a meal.
Technical
In computing: 'graceful degradation' of system performance.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The Queen will grace the ceremony with her presence.
- The portrait graced the cover of the magazine.
American English
- The President graced the fundraising dinner with a short speech.
- Her signature graces the bottom of the document.
adverb
British English
- N/A. The adverb is 'gracefully'.
American English
- N/A. The adverb is 'gracefully'.
adjective
British English
- N/A. The adjective is 'graceful' or 'gracious'.
American English
- N/A. The adjective is 'graceful' or 'gracious'.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The dancer moved with grace.
- We said grace before dinner.
- She accepted the criticism with good grace.
- The bank gave me a three-day grace period to pay.
- His only saving grace was his sense of humour.
- The orchestra played the piece with remarkable grace and precision.
- The minister argued that salvation comes through divine grace alone.
- He had the grace to admit his mistake publicly.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
GRACE: Gentle, Refined, And Considerately Elegant.
Conceptual Metaphor
GRACE IS A FLUID GIFT (e.g., 'flow of grace', 'filled with grace', 'grace poured out').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Не переводите автоматически как 'милость' в светском контексте (например, 'She moved with grace' - не 'милость').
- В русском 'грация' относится только к изяществу движений, тогда как английское 'grace' шире.
- 'Saying grace' - это не 'говорить изящно', а 'произносить молитву перед едой'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'grace' as a countable noun for elegance ('She has a grace' - incorrect; 'She has grace' - correct).
- Confusing 'graceful' (elegant) with 'gracious' (courteous, merciful).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'grace' most likely to mean 'a short prayer'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It can be used in both formal ('divine grace') and everyday contexts ('moved with grace'), but often carries a tone of refinement or formality.
'Graceful' refers to elegant movement or form. 'Gracious' refers to courteous, kind, and merciful behaviour, especially from a superior.
Yes, it means 'to honour or dignify by one's presence or action' (e.g., 'He graced us with a song').
It is a redeeming or compensatory quality that makes up for other faults (e.g., 'The hotel was basic, but its location was its saving grace').