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Webster 1913 Edition

Ace

Ace

(ās)
,
Noun.
;
pl.
Aces
(ā′sĕz)
.
[OE.
as
, F.
as
, fr. L.
as
,
assis
, unity, copper coin, the unit of coinage. Cf.
As
.]
1.
A unit; a single point or spot on a card or die; the card or die so marked;
as, the
ace
of diamonds
.
2.
Hence: A very small quantity or degree; a particle; an atom; a jot.
I ’ll not wag an
ace
further.
Dryden.
To bate an ace
,
to make the least abatement.
[Obs.]
–
Within an ace of
,
very near; on the point of.
W. Irving.

Webster 1828 Edition

Ace

ACE

,
Noun.
[L. as, a unit or pound; G. ass.]
1.
A unit; a single point on a card or die; or the card or die so marked.
2.
A very small quantity; a particle; an atom; a trifle; as a creditor will not abate an ace of his demand.

Definition 2024

Ace

Ace

See also: ace, ACE, aĉe, ače, -ace, and -acé

English

Proper noun

Ace ‎(countable and uncountable, plural Aces)

  1. A male given name.
  2. A common nickname suggesting skill, particularly among airplane pilots.

Anagrams

ace

ace

See also: Ace, ACE, aĉe, ače, -ace, and -acé

English

Noun

ace ‎(plural aces)

  1. (card games, dice games) A single point or spot on a playing card or die.
  2. (card games, dice games) A card or die face so marked.
    I have the ace of diamonds.
  3. A very small quantity or degree; a particle; an atom; a jot.
    • 1681, John Dryden, The Spanish Fryar:
      I'll not wag an ace further: the whole world shall not bribe me to it
    • c. 1658 Dr. Henry More, Government of the Tongue :
      He will not bate an ace of absolute certainty.
  4. (tennis) A serve won without the opponent hitting the ball.
  5. (sports) A single point won by a stroke, as in handball, rackets, etc.
  6. (US) (baseball) The best pitcher on the team.
  7. (US) (baseball, dated, 19th century) A run.
  8. (US) (golf) A hole in one.
  9. An expert at something.
    • 2011 September 29, Jon Smith, “Tottenham 3 - 1 Shamrock Rovers”, in BBC Sport:
      Mexican ace Dos Santos smashed home the third five minutes later after good work from Defoe.
  10. A military aircraft pilot who is credited with shooting down many enemy aircraft, typically five or more.
  11. (US) A perfect score on a school exam.
Usage notes
  • Used as an exclamation to mean excellent. But see ace (adjective). Also in plural: aces.
Synonyms
  • (single point or spot): pip
Derived terms
  • be aces with
  • easy aces
  • flying ace
  • fighter ace
  • jet ace
  • panzer ace
Translations

Verb

ace ‎(third-person singular simple present aces, present participle acing, simple past and past participle aced)

  1. (US) To pass (a test, interviews etc.) perfectly.
  2. (tennis) To win a point by an ace.
  3. (golf) To make an ace (hole in one).
Synonyms
  • (to pass a test): pass with flying colours
Derived terms

Adjective

ace ‎(comparative more ace, superlative most ace)

  1. (Britain, slang) Excellent.
Usage notes
  • Used as exclamation. Also see ace (noun) above and aces.
Synonyms
Translations
See also
Playing cards in English · playing cards (layout · text)
ace deuce, two three four five six seven
eight nine ten jack queen king joker

Etymology 2

From asexual by shortening.

Adjective

ace ‎(comparative more ace, superlative most ace)

  1. (slang) Asexual. (not experiencing sexual attraction)
    • 2009, Anneli Rufus, "Asexuals at the Pride Parade", Psychology Today, 22 June 2009:
      "Some people who identify as ace fall under the GLBT umbrella while many others do not. Members of the queer movement have reached out to asexuals to include them in their community. The acronym for this has now become GLBTQA (gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, questioning, and asexual)."
    • 2010, Amy Ebersole, "Asexuality, not to be confused with celibacy", The Daily Aztec (San Diego State University), 25 January 2010:
      “I was 14 when I first realized I had no interest in sex,” Jed Strohm, a happily satisfied, romantic asexual from upstate New York, said. “I identified as ace (asexual) and the group leader said I was too attractive.”
    • 2013, Andrea Garcia-Vargas, "Ourselves, our sex, our choices", The Eye, 28 March 2013:
      “If you identify as ace [asexual] and you just don’t feel like having sex, then for me, sex-positive means, ‘That’s great! It’s fantastic you don’t want to have sex!’” says McGown.
    • For more examples of usage of this term, see Citations:ace.
Synonyms
Derived terms

Noun

ace ‎(plural aces)

  1. (slang) A person who is asexual.
    • 2012, Tasmin Prichard, "Freedom from Desire: Some Notes on Asexuality", Salient (Victoria University of Wellington), 23 July 2012, page 20:
      Asexuals are programmed differently, like anybody else on the LGBTQXYZ spectrum, but difference is cool! Difference is perhaps the best part of being queer. Own it, aces!
    • 2013, Leigh Miller, "(A)Sexual Healing", Jerk (Syracuse University), Volume XII, Issue V, April 2013, page 23:
      Negativity toward asexuality can make emerging aces fear that something is wrong with them.
    • 2014, Emma Ianni, "New Group to Bring Awareness Of C. U. Asexual Community", The Cornell Daily Sun (Cornell University), Volume 130, Number 81, 4 February 2014, page 1:
      G. F. said she came up with the idea of creating an asexual group last semester, when she was struggling with the way being an ace was affecting her personal life.
    • For more examples of usage of this term, see Citations:ace.

See also

  • (asexual): aro

Anagrams

French

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /eɪs/

Noun

ace m ‎(plural aces)

  1. (tennis) ace

Latin

Verb

acē

  1. second-person singular present active imperative of aceō

Portuguese

Noun

ace m (plural aces)

  1. (tennis) ace (tennis: point scored without the opponent hitting the ball)

Spanish

Noun

ace m ‎(plural aces)

  1. (tennis) ace (point scored without the opponent hitting the ball)

Etymology

From Middle English as, from Old French as, from Latin as, assis ‎(“unity, copper coin, the unit of coinage”). Compare as

Pronunciation

  • enPR: ās, IPA(key): /eɪs/
  • Rhymes: -eɪs

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