means A delicate openwork fabric formed by looping, twisting, or knotting threads into patterns, or the thin cord used to tie up shoes and garments.

from From Old French 'laz' or 'las' (a cord, snare, or noose), from Latin 'laqueus' — a noose or trap. The same root gave us 'lasso.' For centuries 'lace' meant a binding string, which is why your shoes still have them; only later, as the cords grew finer and the patterns more elaborate, did the word drift toward the airy decorative fabric we picture today. The hidden thread connecting both senses: things that catch and hold.