n. [ Acronynm from Political Action Committee. ] (Politics) A political action committee, a committee formed by an organization or special-interest group to raise money to support candidates for office or to influence legislation. A PAC provides a legal means for corporations in the U. S. to support political candidates even when direct contributions from corporations to candidates is forbidden by law. In theory, the corporation may not itself contribute to a PAC, but may pay the expenses of raising money from individuals. PACs may also be formed by organizations other than commercial corporations, such as trade associations. [ Acronym, U. S. ]

PACs became popular in the 1970's after campaign finance reform laws put limits on the amount of money which an individual can contribute to each candidate for public office. In addition to simply supporting candidates with specific viewpoints, the unstated purpose of PACs is to make politicians aware of their viewpoints, by aggregating sums of money into significant single donations. This latter effect has aroused criticism of PACs from reformers who feel that large donations bias the political process. [ PJC ]

n. A kind of moccasin, having the edges of the sole turned up and sewed to the upper. Knight. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Pg., from the native name. ] 1. (Zool.) A large burrowing South American rodent (Agouti paca syn. Cuniculus paca, formerly Cœlogenys paca), having blackish brown fur, with four parallel rows of white spots along its sides; the spotted cavy. It is closely allied to the agouti and the Guinea pig and is highly esteemed as food. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. pacare to pacify. ] Placable. [ R. ] Coleridge. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Bot.) A species of hickory. See Pecan. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. pacatus, p. p. of pacare to pacify, fr. pax, pacis, peace. See Pay to requite, Peace. ] Appeased; pacified; placated; tranquil. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Pacified; pacate; placated. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. pacatio. ] The act of pacifying; a peacemaking. Coleridge. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Paced p. pr. & vb. n. Pacing ] 1. To go; to walk; specifically, to move with regular or measured steps. “I paced on slowly.” Pope. “With speed so pace.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To proceed; to pass on. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Or [ ere ] that I further in this tale pace. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To move quickly by lifting the legs on the same side together, as a horse; to amble with rapidity; to rack. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To pass away; to die. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. 1. To walk over with measured tread; to move slowly over or upon; as, the guard paces his round. “Pacing light the velvet plain.” T. Warton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To measure by steps or paces; as, to pace a piece of ground. Often used with out; as, to pace out the distance. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

3. To develop, guide, or control the pace or paces of; to teach the pace; to break in. [ 1913 Webster ]

If you can, pace your wisdom
In that good path that I would wish it go. Shak [ 1913 Webster ]

To pace the web (Weaving), to wind up the cloth on the beam, periodically, as it is woven, in a loom. [ 1913 Webster ]