What does lacing mean?
Lacing is the cord, lace, or system of cords used to fasten a shoe, boot, corset, or another item fitted with eyelets, loops, or hooks. It may designate the fastening material itself, as in “replace the broken lacing,” or the arrangement and method of fastening, as in “tighten the lacing on your boots.” The word can also denote the act of threading and tying the fastening. In footwear, lacing may be crossed in a conventional pattern to distribute tension and help keep the foot securely in place. Although “laces” is often used more informally for the individual cords, “lacing” is especially useful when referring collectively to the complete fastening system or its arrangement. Outside footwear and clothing, it can also refer more generally to cords threaded through a series of points or loops. The word is ordinary in British and American English and is readily understood, though it sounds somewhat more formal or technical than “shoelaces” in casual speech.
nounThe material, cords, or arrangement used to fasten a shoe, boot, or similar item by passing it through eyelets or other loops. The term can also refer to the act of fastening or drawing together such a lacing.
- Cords or an arrangement of cords used to fasten a shoe, boot, or comparable item.
- The act of fastening or drawing together an item by threading and tying its lacing.
- The method or pattern in which such cords are arranged and fastened.
"He adjusted the lacing of his walking boots before setting out."
"She loosened the lacing on her hiking boots and eased her feet out."
"The trainer demonstrated a firm cross-lacing technique to prevent his foot from slipping."
The plural is uncommon and is used mainly for separate sets or arrangements of fastening cords.
"The shop sells replacement boot lacings in several lengths."
The humble shoelace owes its name to the much older fabric lace, because its woven pattern originally resembled decorative lacework.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does lacing come from?
Lacing is a Middle English formation made by adding the suffix “-ing” to “lace.” Its ultimate root is the Old French “lacis,” meaning lace or a delicate network, which developed into the English word “lace.” The older sense of decorative fabric lace preceded the familiar association with shoe fastening, so the name “shoelace” reflects a cord patterned like the lacework from which it developed. Modern “lacy” and “lacelike” preserve the same connection with ornamental netting or lacework.
Related word forms
How lacing is actually used
In general use, “lacing” is more common for shoes, boots, corsets, and similar objects than for clothing with buttons or zippers. As a collective term, it may refer either to the material itself or to the arrangement formed by it.