What does "mace" mean?
Mace: A heavy staff or club of metal; a spiked club; -- used as weapon in war before the general use of firearms, especially in the Middle Ages, for breaking metal armor. Chaucer. Death with his mace petrific . . . smote. Milton.
Additional senses
- 2.Hence: A staff borne by, or carried before, a magistrate as an ensign of his authority. "Swayed the royal mace." Wordsworth.
- 3.An officer who carries a mace as an emblem of authority. Macaulay.
- 4.A knobbed mallet used by curriers in dressing leather to make it supple.
- 5.(Billiards) A rod for playing billiards, having one end suited to resting on the table and pushed with one hand. Mace bearer, an officer who carries a mace before person in authority.
Sources
- Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).
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- Published: 2026-07-17 · Modified: 2026-07-17