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to set the pace

to set the pace

7 4.1
Make the speed or level that others follow
  • phrasal verb
translation icon : marcar el ritmo
  • During the annual competition, the runner broke the record and set the pace for the other athletes to follow.
  • set the pace for the activity

That it has to be who you are and that you set the pace for the organization.

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Examples

  • Americans set the pace for many African societies.

    Academic text (1996)
  • One major benefit of such training is that the student, rather than the instructor, sets the pace.

    Academic text (1995)
  • But it's important to understand as a man, you can really set the pace of this relationship.

  • Bill, when you set the pace, you control the race.

  • The market now sets the pace for them.

    Academic text (2008)
  • We will lead, and we will set the pace in this industry.

    Blog text (2)
  • Looking forward to having you set the pace of the run.

    Blog text (19)
  • The big Braves lineman continued to set the pace as they have all year long.

    Blog text (31)
  • Remember, you set the pace of your dating life and don't let someone take you off your pace just because you had a great time with them.

  • Play Therapy allows the child to set the pace of the session rather than the therapist (Landreth & Bratton, 1999).

    Academic text (2007)

Synonyms

to pace
vsto set the pace
60 3.3

To control how fast you move or work

establishes a speed or standard for others to follow

How Fast

to outpace
20 4.9
to set the pace
7 4.1
to keep up
507 2.8
to lag
24 3.0

Surface Forms

set the pace infinitive
set the pace past participle
setting the pace present participle
sets the pace third person singular

Morphology

set + the + pace

The meaning 'to establish the speed or standard' is directly derivable from 'set' (to fix or determine) plus 'pace' (speed/rate), with the article 'the' carrying no additional oblique meaning. This verb + noun composition is a common, compositionally transparent pattern in English (and has close parallels in other languages), so a B1 learner who knows the constituents would readily infer the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

The phrase set the pace comes from walking or racing, where a leader would set the pace by going first and showing the speed for others to follow. So, it now means 'to establish the speed, level, or standard that others follow'.