change of pace

change of pace

noun
1.
a temporary shift or variation in a normal routine or regular pattern of activity: Reading a mystery novel has been a real change of pace for me.
2.
Also called change-up [cheynj-uhp] . Baseball. a ball that is thrown by a pitcher with the same motion as for a fastball but that travels with less speed, making the pitch more difficult for the batter to time.

Origin:
1935–40
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Change of pace is always a great word to know.
So is ninnyhammer. Does it mean:
a scrap or morsel of food left at a meal.
a fool or simpleton; ninny.
American Heritage
Idioms & Phrases

change of pace

A shift in normal routine, a variation in usual activities or pattern, as in She's smiling in that one photo, just for a change of pace, or After six hours at my desk I need a change of pace, so I'm going for a swim. This term originated in a number of sports where strategy can involve altering the speed of, for example, a pitched or struck ball or a horse's gait. By the mid-1900s it was being transferred to other enterprises.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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