Mace
Mace (mās) , noun
[Jav. & Malay. mās, from Sanskrit māsha a bean.]
A money of account in China equal to one tenth of a tael; also, a weight of 57.98 grains. — S. W. Williams
Mace , noun
[French macis, Latin macis, macir, Greek {not transcribed}; compare Sanskrit makaranda the nectar or honey of a flower, a fragrant mango.]
(Botany) A kind of spice; the aril which partly covers nutmegs. See Nutmeg.
Red mace is the aril of Myristica tingens, and white mace that of Myristica Otoba, -- East Indian trees of the same genus with the nutmeg tree.
Mace , noun
[Old French mace, French masse, from (assumed) Latin matea, of which the dim. mateola a kind of mallet or beetle, is found.]
1.
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.
2.
A staff borne by, or carried before, a magistrate as an ensign of his authority.
Swayed the royal mace.
3.
An officer who carries a mace as an emblem of authority; a macebearer. — 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 , proper noun
[Trademark.]
A chemical preparation containing tear gas in a solvent, packaged in the form of a spray, and used to temporarily incapacitate people, such as rioters or criminals, by causing intense eye and skin irritation; also called chemical mace. It is designed to be a non-lethal weapon for defending against violent people.