Peace

Pronunciation

• enPR: pÄ“s, IPA: /pÊ°iːs/
• US IPA: /pÊ°is/
• Rhymes: -iːs
• Homophones: piece

Origin

From Middle English pece, peas, pees, from Old French pais ("peace"), from Latin pāx ("peace"), from Proto-Indo-European *paḱ- ("to fasten, stick, place"), related to Latin pacīscor ("agree, stipulate"), Latin pangō ("fasten, fix"); see pact. Displaced native Middle English frith, frede ("peace") (from Old English friþ, frēod ("peace")), Middle English sib, sibbe ("peace") (from Old English sibb ("peace, kinship")), Middle English grith ("peace, security") (from Old English griþ and Old Norse grið), Middle English saht, saught ("peace, reconciliation") (from Old English seht, sæht ("peace, pact, agreement")).

Full definition of peace

Noun

1. A state of tranquility, quiet, and harmony. For instance, a state free from civil disturbance.
• 2001, Carol Stream, UnshakenNaomi 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.
2. Our lounge strives to maintain an environment of peace for the comfort of our customers.
3. A state free of oppressive and unpleasant thoughts and emotions.
   The safety equipment will give me some peace of mind.
4. Harmony in personal relations.
5. A state free of war, in particular war between different countries.
• 1969 March 31, John Lennon, Bagism Press Conference at Sacher Hotel, ViennaNow, 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.
• 2013-07-20, Old soldiers?, 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.
6. My boy, this peace is what all true warriors strive for.

Synonyms

• (religious, Heathenry) frith

Antonyms

• disruption
• war

Derived terms

Related terms

• pacific
• pacify
• pacification

Interjection

1. (archaic) Shut up!, silence!; be quiet, be silent.
• Mark Twain"Peace, my lord, thou utterest treason! Hast forgot the king's command? Remember I am party to thy crime, if I but listen."
2. (slang) Shortened form of peace out; goodbye.

Verb

1. (neologism) To make peace; to put at peace; to be at peace.
• 1997, Yusuf Jah, Shah'Keyah Jah, Uprising, page 49:Within every hood they have to be peacing with themselves. Then when you're living in peace with yourself, ...
• 2006, Wayne Grady, Bringing back the dodo: lessons in natural and unnatural history:In another northern species, ptarmigan, such a see-saw pattern between warring and peacing has indeed been observed by researchers.