" . . . ___, mio Dio!": Leonora's prayer (4 letters)

{ Answer }

PACE

{ Related Clues }

With deference to
Gait
Rate
Speed
Stride
Tempo
Double time, for one
Horse's gait
Meadowlands event
Part of R.I.P.
Rate of speed
Set the speed
Show worry
University in N.Y.C.
Walk the floor
Whitten's "A Killing ___"
Await delivery anxiously
It's set by a runner
New York university
Show anxiety, in a way
Take measured steps
What the leader sets
Eight minutes/mile in a marathon is a good one
Part of NASA gets the gait
Wear out the carpet, maybe
Show worry in the waiting room, maybe
Wear out the carpet in the waiting room

{ Tags }

carpet, clip, gait, killing, maybe, new, pace, part, rip, show, speed, step, stride, tempo, unit, university, walk, way, wear, whittens, york

{ Notes }

The answer PACE is seen frequently, appearing about once every 120 puzzles.

{ Definition }

PACE as a noun:

1. (pace, gait) = the rate of moving (especially walking or running)

2. (footstep, pace, step, stride) = the distance covered by a step; "he stepped off ten paces from the old tree and began to dig"

3. (pace, rate) = the relative speed of progress or change; "he lived at a fast pace"; "he works at a great rate"; "the pace of events accelerated"

4. (pace, stride, tread) = a step in walking or running

5. (tempo, pace) = the rate of some repeating event

6. (yard, pace) = a unit of length equal to 3 feet; defined as 91.44 centimeters; originally taken to be the average length of a stride

PACE as a verb:

1. walk with slow or fast paces; "He paced up and down the hall"

2. go at a pace; "The horse paced"

3. (pace, step) = measure (distances) by pacing; "step off ten yards"

4. regulate or set the pace of; "Pace your efforts"