Mace (?), n. [Jav. & Malay.
mās, fr. Skr. 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 (?), n. [F. macis, L.
macis, macir, Gr. ?; cf. Skr. makaranda the
nectar or honey of a flower, a fragrant mango.] (Bot.) 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 M. Otoba, -- East Indian trees
of the same genus with the nutmeg tree.
Mace, n. [OF. mace, F.
masse, from (assumed) L. 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.
Milton.
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 persons in authority.