Etimology
From Middle English pees, pes, pais, borrowed from Anglo-Norman peis and Old French pais (“peace”), from Latin pāx (“peace”), from Proto-Indo-European *peh₂ḱ- (“to fasten, stick, place”), related to Latin pacīscor (“agree, stipulate”), Latin pangō (“fasten, fix”); see pact. Displaced native Old English sibb and friþ.
noun
peace (usually uncountable, plural peaces)
A state of tranquility, quiet, and harmony; absence of violence.
A state free of oppressive and unpleasant thoughts and emotions.
(figuratively, euphemistic) Death.
Harmony in personal relations.
A state free of war, in particular war between different countries.
Examples
Synonyms: frith; see also Thesaurus:calm
Antonyms: disruption, violence
Naomi boasted in nothing but the God of Israel. And she found peace even in the midst of chaos when she went to Him in prayer.
Our lounge strives to maintain an environment of peace for the comfort of our customers.
The safety equipment will give me some peace of mind.
’Twere best at once to sink to peace,Like birds the charming serpent draws,To drop head-foremost in the jawsOf vacant darkness and to cease.
Antonyms: war, violence
Now, a lot of cynics have said, “Oh, it’s easy to sit in bed for seven days,” but I’d like some of them to try it, and talk for seven days about peace. All we’re saying is give peace a chance.
My boy, this peace is what all true warriors strive for.
An uneasy peace descended upon Northern Ireland when the IRA agreed to a ceasefire in August 1994.
Whether modern, industrial man is less or more warlike than his hunter-gatherer ancestors is impossible to determine. […] One thing that is true, though, is that murder rates have fallen over the centuries, as policing has spread and the routine carrying of weapons has diminished. Modern society may not have done anything about war. But peace is a lot more peaceful.
May there be peace in our time.
Related words
related terms
pacific
pacify
pacification
pacifism
pacifist
interjection
peace
(archaic) Shut up!, silence!; be quiet, be silent.
(slang) Peace out; goodbye.
Examples
“Hark!” said the old woman, triumphantly. “I hear a step coming. […] Do you hear him?”“I believe you are right, mother,” replied Alice, in a low voice. “Peace! open the door.”
"Peace, my lord, thou utterest treason! Hast forgot the king's command? Remember I am party to thy crime, if I but listen."
verb
peace (third-person singular simple present peaces, present participle peacing, simple past and past participle peaced)
To make peace; to put at peace; to be at peace.
(slang) To peace out.
Examples
Within every hood they have to be peacing with themselves. Then when you're living in peace with yourself, [...]
In another northern species, ptarmigan, such a see-saw pattern between warring and peacing has indeed been observed by researchers.
Fuck, man. Yeah, I know. He crashed with this guy, Eddie. Then the cops called me in. That's when he peaced. I swear on my father's grave, I don't know where he went. I swear.