laced
Meaning
(of a drink or food) having a small amount of a substance, especially alcohol or a drug, added to it.
trimmed or decorated with lace.
Structure
Usage
she suspected her coffee had been laced with sedatives.
he wore a pair of beautifully laced leather boots.
the community was shocked by the news of laced candies being distributed.
Etymology
the word "laced" originates from the noun "lace," which entered english from old french, denoting a cord or string used for fastening. its ultimate latin ancestor, "laqueus" (a noose or snare), metaphorically evolved to mean anything that binds or intertwines, like the threads in fabric. the past participle form "laced" developed the adjectival sense of being fastened or ornamented with such cord or fabric. from this concrete meaning, it further extended metaphorically to describe a substance that has been intertwined or mixed with another, such as a drink infused with alcohol.
Analysis
"lace" is from old french 'las', meaning a noose, string, or net, itself from vulgar latin 'laceum', from latin 'laqueus' meaning noose or snare. the suffix "-ed" is from old english '-ed', '-od', '-ad', forming adjectives from nouns or verbs, indicating possession of a quality or being in a state.