brace

[ breys ]

/ breɪs /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR brace ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

something that holds parts together or in place, as a clasp or clamp.

anything that imparts rigidity or steadiness.

Also called bitbrace, bitstock. Machinery. a device for holding and turning a bit for boring or drilling.

Building Trades. a piece of timber, metal, etc., for supporting or positioning another piece or portion of a framework.

Nautical. (on a square-rigged ship) a rope by which a yard is swung about and secured horizontally.

Music. leather loops sliding upon the tightening cords of a drum to change their tension and the drum's pitch.

Often braces. Dentistry. a round or flat metal wire placed against the surfaces of the teeth for straightening irregularly arranged teeth.

Medicine/Medical. an appliance for supporting a weak joint or joints.

braces, Chiefly British. suspender(def 1).

a pair; couple: a brace of grouse.

Printing.

one of two characters { or } used to enclose words or lines to be considered together.
bracket(def 7).

Music. connected staves.

a protective band covering the wrist or lower part of the arm, especially a bracer.

Military. a position of attention with exaggeratedly stiff posture.

verb (used with object), braced, brac·ing.

to furnish, fasten, or strengthen with or as if with a brace.

to fix firmly; make steady; secure against pressure or impact: He braces himself when the ship rolls. Brace yourself for some bad news.

to make tight; increase the tension of.

to act as a stimulant to.

Nautical. to swing or turn around (the yards of a ship) by means of the braces.

Military. to order (a subordinate) to assume and maintain a brace.

verb (used without object), braced, brac·ing.

Military. to assume a brace.

Verb Phrases

brace in, Nautical. to brace (the yards of a square-rigged vessel) more nearly athwartships, as for running free.

Idioms for brace

brace up, Informal. to summon up one's courage; become resolute: She choked back her tears and braced up.

Origin of brace

1300–50; (noun) Middle English < Anglo-French, Old French: pair of arms < Latin brā(c)chia plural (taken as feminine singular) of brā(c)chium arm (< Greek; see brachium); (v.) in part Middle English bracen (< Anglo-French bracier, derivative of brace; cf. embrace¹), in participle derivative of the noun

SYNONYMS FOR brace

1 vise.

4 stay, prop, strut.

10 See pair.

15 support, fortify, prop.

17 tauten, tense.

18 fortify.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR brace ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM brace

o·ver·brace, verb (used with object), o·ver·braced, o·ver·brac·ing. re·brace, verb (used with object), re·braced, re·brac·ing. un·der·brace, noun un·der·brace, verb (used with object), un·der·braced, un·der·brac·ing.

well-braced, adjective

Words nearby brace

brabançon, brabble, brabham, braccate, braccio, brace, brace and bit, brace jack, brace molding, brace root, brace table

Example sentences from the Web for braced

This time around, Clinton-backers are braced for a similar dynamic.

Does Team Hillary Want a Democratic Challenge? |David Freedlander |September 25, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Now it dipped its head as Lane braced himself to rise, more as if to investigate the man, certainly not to gore him.

The Death of a Rodeo Cowboy |Peter Richmond |May 11, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Shortly after the wine trade regained momentum, Germany braced for war, and viticulture and wine trade came to a halt.

Germany’s Wine Revolution Is Just Getting Started |Jordan Salcito |April 26, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
That said, movement leaders are braced for further growing pains.

With Incumbents To Protect, The Tea Party Is Now Playing Defense |Michelle Cottle |March 20, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

Unmoved by these political concerns, the families in the Diamir Valley braced for a future without mountaineering.

Death on Killer Mountain |Amanda Padoan |July 6, 2013 |DAILY BEAST
The rudder is then braced to the main frame and the main frame is braced by the wires N to the wings.

The Boy Mechanic, Book 2 |Various
He braced his frame like one preparing for a plunge into cold waters.

The Woman in Black |Edmund Clerihew Bentley
Dick braced himself as a man came in and stood by the table, looking at the others suspiciously.

Brandon of the Engineers |Harold Bindloss
Realizing instantly that he was preparing for the desperate leap, I also lifted my body, and braced myself for the effort.

Beyond the Frontier |Randall Parrish
It braced its sinewy legs and halted at the very brink, while bunny crossed to the safe woods.

Rolf In The Woods |Ernest Thompson Seton

British Dictionary definitions for braced

brace

/ (breɪs) /

noun

a hand tool for drilling holes, with a socket to hold the drill at one end and a cranked handle by which the tool can be turned In full: hand brace See also brace and bit

something that steadies, binds, or holds up another thing

a structural member, such as a beam or prop, used to stiffen a framework

a sliding loop, usually of leather, attached to the cords of a drum: used to change its tension

a pair; two, esp of game birds a brace of partridges

either of a pair of characters, { }, used for connecting lines of printing or writing or as a third sign of aggregation in complex mathematical or logical expressions that already contain parentheses and square brackets

Also called: accolade a line or bracket connecting two or more staves of music

(often plural) an appliance of metal bands and wires that can be tightened to maintain steady pressure on the teeth for correcting uneven alignment

med any of various appliances for supporting the trunk, a limb, or teeth

another word for bracer 2

(in square-rigged sailing ships) a rope that controls the movement of a yard and thus the position of a sail

See braces

verb (mainly tr)

to provide, strengthen, or fit with a brace

to steady or prepare (oneself or something) as before an impact

(also intr) to stimulate; freshen; invigorate sea air is bracing

to control the horizontal movement of (the yards of a square-rigged sailing ship)

Word Origin for brace

C14: from Old French: the two arms, from Latin bracchia arms

Medical definitions for braced

brace

[ brās ]

n.

An orthopedic appliance that supports or holds a movable part of the body in correct position while allowing motion of the part.

Often braces A dental appliance, constructed of bands and wires that is fixed to the teeth to correct irregular alignment.

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

brace

noun

verb (used with object), braced, brac·ing.

verb (used without object), braced, brac·ing.

Verb Phrases

Idioms for brace

Origin of brace

SYNONYMS FOR brace

OTHER WORDS FROM brace

Words nearby brace

Example sentences from the Web for braced

British Dictionary definitions for braced

noun

verb (mainly tr)

Word Origin for brace

Medical definitions for braced

n.

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

brace

noun

verb (used with object), braced, brac·ing.

verb (used without object), braced, brac·ing.

Verb Phrases

Idioms for brace

Origin of brace

SYNONYMS FOR brace

OTHER WORDS FROM brace

Words nearby brace

Words related to braced

Example sentences from the Web for braced

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []) .push({}); British Dictionary definitions for braced

noun

verb (mainly tr)

Word Origin for brace

Medical definitions for braced

n.

British Dictionary definitions for braced