lance

See also: Lance and lancé

English

Lance shape of an Egyptian bronze spear from Banha, 2nd millennium BC

Jousters with broken lances.

Etymology

From Middle English launce, from Old French lance, from Latin lancea.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) enPR: läns, IPA^(key): /lɑːns/
• (US) enPR: lăns, IPA^(key): /læns/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɑːns, -æns

Noun

lance (plural lances)

1. A weapon of war, consisting of a long shaft or handle and a steel blade or head; a spear carried by horsemen.
   • c. 1591–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Third Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iii], line 15:

     Thy brother’s blood the thirsty earth hath drunk, Broach’d with the steely point of Clifford’s lance […]

   • 1909, Charles Henry Ashdown, European Arms & Armor, page 65:

     The head of the lance was commonly of the leaf form, and sometimes approached that of the lozenge; it was very seldom barbed, although this variety, together with the others, appears upon the Bayeux Tapestry.

2. A wooden spear, sometimes hollow, used in jousting or tilting, designed to shatter on impact with the opposing knight’s armour.
   • 1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Sixt”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii], line 49:

     What will you do, good greybeard? Break a lance, And run a-tilt at Death within a chair?

3. (fishing) A spear or harpoon used by whalers and fishermen.
4. (military) A soldier armed with a lance; a lancer.
5. (military) An instrument which conveys the charge of a piece of ordnance and forces it home.
6. (metallurgy) A small iron rod which suspends the core of the mold in casting a shell.
7. (pyrotechnics) One of the small paper cases filled with combustible composition, which mark the outlines of a figure.
8. (medicine) A lancet.

Derived terms

• break a lance
• break one's lance
• fer-de-lance
• fire lance
• freelance
• lance bombardier
• lance bucket (cavalry)
• lance corporal
• lance-corporal
• lance fish (zoology)
• lance-jack
• lance knight
• lance-knight
• lancer
• lance rest
• lance sergeant
• lance skink
• lance snake (zoology)
• oxygen lance
• sand lance
• stink-fire lance (military)
• thermal lance
• thermic lance
• the tongue wounds more than a lance

Related terms

• lancet

Translations

weapon of war

• Armenian: նիզակ (hy) (nizak), գեղարդ (hy) (geġard), տեգ (hy) (teg)
• Asturian: llanza f
• Catalan: llança (ca) f
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 長矛 / 长矛 (zh) (chángmáo)

• Classical Nahuatl: tepoztōpīlli
• Czech: kopí (cs) n
• Danish: lanse c
• Dutch: lans (nl) f
• Egyptian: mrḥ
• Esperanto: lanco
• Estonian: oda (et)
• Faroese: lansi m, langspjót n
• Finnish: peitsi (fi), keihäs (fi)
• French: lance (fr) f
• Friulian: lance f
• Galician: lanza f
• Georgian: შუბი (ka) (šubi), ჰოროლი (ka) (horoli), ლახვარი (ka) (laxvari)
• German: Lanze (de) f
• Greek: λόγχη (el) f (lónchi)

  Ancient: λόγχη f (lónkhē)

• Hebrew: רֹמַח (he) m (rómaẖ)
• Hungarian: lándzsa (hu)
• Ido: lanco (io)
• Indonesian: ganjur (id)
• Irish: sleá f
• Italian: lancia (it)
• Japanese: 槍 (ja) (やり, yari), 矛 (ja) (ほこ, hoko)
• Kazakh: найза (naiza), сүңгі (süñgı)
• Kurdish:

  Central Kurdish: نێزە (nêze)

  Northern Kurdish: nize (ku), nîze (ku)

• Latin: lancea f
• Macedonian: ко́пје f (kópje)
• Malay: tombak
• Maori: rāti, tao
• Middle English: launce
• Mongolian: жад (mn) (žad)
• Occitan: lança (oc) f
• Persian: نیزه (fa) (neyze)
• Polish: kopia (pl) f, lanca (pl) f
• Portuguese: lança (pt) f
• Romanian: lance (ro), suliță (ro), fuște (ro)
• Russian: пи́ка (ru) f (píka)
• Sanskrit: शल्य (sa) m or n (śalya)
• Sardinian: lantza f, lancia f
• Scottish Gaelic: sleagh f, gath m
• Sicilian: lanza (scn)
• Spanish: lanza (es) f
• Tagalog: tulag
• Thai: ทวน (th) (tuuan)
• Turkish: mızrak (tr), kargı (tr)
• Ugaritic: 𐎎𐎗𐎈 (mrḥ)
• Venetan: lansa f, lancia f
• Welsh: gwaywffon f
• Xârâcùù: jö

wooden weapon used in jousting or tilting

• Bulgarian: копие (bg) n (kopie)
• Catalan: llança (ca) f
• Czech: dlouhé kopí n, dřevec m
• Dutch: lans (nl) f
• Esperanto: lanco
• Finnish: peitsi (fi)
• French: lance (fr) f
• German: Lanze (de) f
• Hungarian: lándzsa (hu), kopja (hu)
• Ido: lanco (io)
• Macedonian: ко́пје f (kópje)
• Middle English: launce
• Polish: kopia (pl) f
• Portuguese: lança (pt) f
• Turkish: cirit (tr)
• Welsh: gwaywffon f

spear or harpoon used by whalers

• Bulgarian: харпун m (harpun)
• Czech: harpuna (cs) f
• Dutch: lans (nl) f
• Finnish: harppuuna (fi)
• French: lance (fr) f
• German: Harpune (de) f
• Hungarian: szigony (hu)
• Japanese: 簎, 矠 (やす, yasu)
• Macedonian: ко́пје n (kópje)
• Maori: rāti
• Polish: harpun (pl) m
• Turkish: zıpkın (tr)
• Welsh: tryfer f

(military) soldier armed with a lance

• Bulgarian: улан m (ulan)
• Catalan: llança (ca) f
• Finnish: peitsimies, keihäsmies
• French: lance (fr) f
• Georgian: შუბოსანი (šubosani)
• German: Lanzer m
• Hungarian: lándzsás (hu)
• Macedonian: ко́пјаник m (kópjanik)
• Persian: نیزه‌ور (neyze-var)
• Polish: ułan (pl) m, lansjer (pl) m
• Portuguese: lanceiro (pt) m
• Romanian: lăncier (ro) m
• Spanish: lancero (es) m
• Turkish: mızraklı (tr), kargılı, mızrakçı

(military) instrument which conveys the charge of a piece of ordinance

• German: Harpune mit Sprenggeschoss f

(founding) a small iron rod which suspends the core of the mold in casting a shell

(pyrotechnics) one of the small paper cases filled with combustible composition, which mark the outlines of a figure

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

• Italian: ^{(please verify)} lancia (it) f
• Korean: ^{(please verify)} 창 (ko) (chang)
• Latin: ^{(please verify)} lancea f
• Spanish: ^{(please verify)} lanza (es) f

Verb

lance (third-person singular simple present lances, present participle lancing, simple past and past participle lanced)

1. To pierce with a lance, or with any similar weapon.

   Seized the due victim, and with fury lanced Her back. Dryden.

2. To open with a lancet; to pierce.

   to lance a vein or an abscess

3. To throw in the manner of a lance; to lanch.
4. (informal) to steal or swipe

   He lanced my drink and spiked it!

Quotations

• For quotations using this term, see Citations:lance.

Translations

to pierce with a lance

• Bulgarian: пронизвам (bg) (pronizvam)
• Czech: probodnout pf
• Georgian: განგმირვა (gangmirva)
• Italian: infilzare (it)
• Maori: , rāti
• Turkish: mızraklamak, kargılamak

to pierce or open an abscess

• Czech: proříznout pf, rozříznout pf, propíchnout pf
• Italian: incidere (it)
• Maori: oka

See also

• javelin
• pike
• spear

Anagrams

• Calne, Lenca, ancle, clane, clean

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /lɑ̃s/
• Homophones: lancent, lances

Etymology 1

Inherited from Old French lance, from Latin lancea.

Noun

lance f (plural lances)

1. a spear, lance
2. (military) a lancer (a soldier armed with a lance)
3. a hose

Derived terms

• fer de lance
• lancette
• lancier

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Verb

lance

1. inflection of lancer:
   1. first/third-person singular present indicative/subjunctive
   2. second-person singular imperative

Derived terms

• lance-roquette
• relance (form of verb relancer)

Related terms

• lancement
• lancer
• lanceur, lanceuse

Further reading

• “lance”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Friulian

Etymology

From Latin lancea.

Noun

lance f (plural lancis)

1. lance, spear

Related terms

• slançâ

Galician

Verb

lance

1. (reintegrationist norm) inflection of lançar:
   1. first/third-person singular present subjunctive
   2. third-person singular imperative

Italian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈlan.t͡ʃe/
• Rhymes: -antʃe
• Hyphenation: làn‧ce

Noun

lance f pl

1. plural of lancia

Latin

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /ˈlan.ke/, [ˈɫ̪äŋkɛ]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈlan.t͡ʃe/, [ˈlän̠ʲt͡ʃe]

Noun

lance

1. ablative singular of lanx

Middle English

Etymology 1

Noun

lance

1. Alternative form of launce

Etymology 2

Verb

lance

1. Alternative form of launcen

Middle French

Etymology

From Old French lance.

Noun

lance f (plural lances)

1. lance (weapon)
2. lancer; lance

Descendants

• French: lance

Old French

Etymology

From Latin lancea.

Noun

lance oblique singular, f (oblique plural lances, nominative singular lance, nominative plural lances)

1. lance (weapon)

Descendants

• Franc-Comtois: laince
• Middle French: lance
  • French: lance
• → Middle English: launce
  • English: lance
• → Middle High German: lanze
  • German: Lanze

Portuguese

Pronunciation

 

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈlɐ̃.si/

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈlɐ̃.si/
  • (Southern Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈlɐ̃.se/

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈlɐ̃.sɨ/

Etymology 1

Deverbal of lançar.

Noun

lance m (plural lances)

1. throw (act of throwing something)

   Synonyms: arremesso, jogada, lançamento

2. bid (offer at an auction)

   Synonym: lanço

3. (sports) a series of actions carried out during a game

   Synonym: jogada

4. (informal) matter, thing (crux, subject; only used for non-physical things)

   Synonyms: parada, (Portugal) cena

   E aí, qual é o lance?

   So, what's up?

   Esse é o lance, mano. As coisas não podem ficar assim.

   That's the thing, dude. Things can't stay this way.

5. (informal) thing, fling (romantic relationship)
   • 2012, “Lancinho”, in Leiz (music), O Som das Multidões, performed by Turma do Pagode:

     Namora, mas adora um proibido
     E eu que sou culpado, eu que sou bandido
     Prefere um romance escondido
     Sai na madrugada pra dar lancinho comigo

     You're dating, but you sure love the forbidden
     And then it's my fault, [and then] I'm the criminal
     You'd rather keep our hookups hidden
     You go out past midnight to go on a fling night

6. flight (series of stairs between landings)

   Uma vez eu já caí dez lances de escadas. Não recomendo.

   I once fell ten flights of stairs. I don't advise it.

Derived terms

• lancinho

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Verb

lance

1. inflection of lançar:
   1. first/third-person singular present subjunctive
   2. third-person singular imperative

Further reading

• “lance”, in iDicionário Aulete (in Portuguese), Rio de Janeiro: Lexikon Editora Digital, 2008–2025
• “lance”, in Dicio – Dicionário Online de Português (in Portuguese), Porto: 7Graus, 2009–2025
• “lance”, in Dicionário inFormal (in Portuguese), 2006–2025
• “lance”, in Dicionário da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisboa: Academia das Ciências de Lisboa, 2001–2025
• “lance”, in Michaelis Dicionário Brasileiro da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), São Paulo: Editora Melhoramentos, 2015–2025

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from Italian lancia (18th century).

Noun

lance f (plural lănci)

1. spear, lance

   Synonym: suliță

Declension

Declension of lance

	singular			plural
	indefinite	definite		indefinite	definite
nominative-accusative	lance	lancea		lănci	lăncile
genitive-dative	lănci	lăncii		lănci	lăncilor
vocative	lance, lanceo			lăncilor

Spanish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Spain) /ˈlanθe/ [ˈlãn̟.θe]
• IPA^(key): (Latin America, Philippines) /ˈlanse/ [ˈlãn.se]
• Rhymes: -anθe
• Rhymes: -anse
• Syllabification: lan‧ce

Etymology 1

Deverbal of lanzar.

Noun

lance m (plural lances)

1. launch (act of launching)

   Synonym: lanzamiento

2. throw
3. cast (fishing)
4. situation
5. telling-off; scolding

Derived terms

• a pocos lances
• lance de fortuna
• lance de honor

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Verb

lance

1. inflection of lanzar:
   1. first/third-person singular present subjunctive
   2. third-person singular imperative

Further reading

• “lance”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 2024 December 10