Apace

adv. Forms: 4–5 apaas, apas, 4–6 apase, 4– apace. [orig. phr. a pace, like afoot, ahead, f. A prep.¹ of manner + PACE, formerly pas, paas.] lit. At a pace, i.e., at a considerable or good pace; hence, With speed; swiftly, quickly, fast.

  a.  orig. of the pace of men.

c. 1350.  Rom. Athelston, in Rel. Ant., II. 98. Thorwȝout he went a pase.

c. 1374.  Chaucer, Troylus, IV. 465. He cometh to hym apaas.

c. 1400.  Rom. Rose, 3724. To Bialacoil she wente apas.

1549.  Coverdale, Erasm. Par. Gal. v. 7. Ye dyd once runne apace, makyng hastye spede.

1611.  Bible, Ps. lxviii. 12. Kings of armies did flee apace.

1719.  De Foe, Crusoe (1858), 486. They are coming towards us too, apace.

1837.  Disraeli, Venetia, I. xiv. (1871), 67. He … pushed on apace.

  b.  of motion generally, as flowing, gliding, sailing, flying; and hence of the flight of time.

1535.  Coverdale, Ps. lviii. 6. Like water y^t runneth a pace. Ibid., Jer. xlviii. 14. The destruction of Moab commeth on a pace.

1665.  Manley, Grotius’s Low-C. Wars, 101. Autumn now coming on apace.

1702.  Pope, Jan. & May, 783. The ready tears apace began to flow.

1762.  Falconer, Shipwr., II. 35. Around before the squall she veers apace.

1813.  Scott, Trierm., I. xx. With lay and tale, and laugh, and jest, Apace the evening flew.

1878.  Bosw. Smith, Carthage, 260. The news … reached Rome apace.

  c.  of speed or progress in any action.

a. 1423.  James I., King’s Q., IV. viii. The werk that first is foundit sure May better bere apace.

1530.  Palsgr., 418. Thought maketh men age a pace.

1550.  Crowley, Epigr., 1020. Good Esay doeth cursse them apase.

1604.  Rowlands, Looke to It, 8. Hoording wealth apace.

1611.  Cotgr., s.v. Herbe, An ill weed growes apace.

1628.  Digby, Voy. Medit., 9. My men begun to sicken apace.

1713.  Derham, Phys. Theol., 16. It rained a-pace.

1800.  Wellington, in Gurw., Disp., I. 192. Dhoondiah’s followers are quitting him apace.

1829.  Southey, All for Love, III. Wks. VII. 166. The church Already fills apace.

1841.  Miss Sedgwick, Lett. fr. Abr., I. 24. Our friendship ripens apace.

  † d.  of quickness in proceeding to act: At once, immediately. Obs.

c. 1325.  Cœur de L., 4041. Now leth in pes, lystenes apas!

1553.  A. Wilson, Rhet., 15 b. We hang theim a pace that offend a lawe.

1723.  Mrs. Centlivre, Stolen Heiress, V. 371. Do not push me from thee … For I shall die apace, and go before.