brace

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Contents

English [edit]

Etymology [edit]

From Old French brace (“arm”), from Latin bracchia, the nominative and accusative plural of Latin bracchium (“arm”).

Pronunciation [edit]

Noun [edit]

brace (plural braces)

  1. (obsolete) Armor for the arm; vambrace.
  2. (obsolete) A measurement of length, originally representing a person's outstretched arms.
  3. A curved instrument or handle of iron or wood, for holding and turning bits, etc.; a bitstock.
  4. That which holds anything tightly or supports it firmly; a bandage or a prop.
  5. A cord, ligament, or rod, for producing or maintaining tension
  6. A thong used to regulate the tension of a drum.
  7. (typography) A curved, pointed line, also known as "curly bracket": {  or } connecting two or more words or lines, which are to be considered together, such as in {{role, roll}}; in music, used to connect staves.
  8. A pair, a couple; originally used of dogs, and later of animals generally and then other things, but rarely human persons. (The plural in this sense is unchanged.) In (UK) use (as plural), this is a particularly common reference to game birds.
    • 1610, The Tempest, by Shakespeare, act 5 scene 1
      But you, my brace of lords, were I so minded,
      I here could pluck his highness' frown upon you,
      And justify you traitors
  9. A piece of material used to transmit, or change the direction of, weight or pressure; any one of the pieces, in a frame or truss, which divide the structure into triangular parts. It may act as a tie, or as a strut, and serves to prevent distortion of the structure, and transverse strains in its members. A boiler brace is a diagonal stay, connecting the head with the shell.
  10. (nautical) A rope reeved through a block at the end of a yard, by which the yard is moved horizontally; also, a rudder gudgeon.
  11. The mouth of a shaft.
  12. (usually plural) Straps or bands to sustain trousers; suspenders.
  13. (usually plural) A system of wires, brackets, and elastic bands used to correct crooked teeth or to reduce overbite.
  14. (soccer) Two goals scored by one player in a game.

Synonyms [edit]

  • (measure of length representing a person's outstretched arms): fathom

Translations [edit]

measure of length representing a person's outstretched arms
that which holds tightly
arrangement for producing tension
curved, pointed typographic line
structural piece used for support, often diagonal
rope for moving a yard
bitstock — see bitstock
harness
suspenders
system to correct crooked teeth — see braces
two goals in one game
straps or bands to sustain trousers — see suspenders

Verb [edit]

brace (third-person singular simple present braces, present participle bracing, simple past and past participle braced)

  1. To prepare for something bad, as an impact or blow.
    All hands, brace for impact!
    • 2013 January 22, Phil McNulty, “Aston Villa 2-1 Bradford (3-4)”, BBC:
      Bradford would have been braced for an early assault from Villa as they tried to cut the deficit - and so it proved as they struggled to control the physical presence and aerial threat of Benteke, who headed straight at Bradford keeper Matt Duke when he should have done better.
  2. (nautical) To swing round the yards of a square rigged ship, using braces, to present a more efficient sail surface to the direction of the wind
  3. To stop someone for questioning, usually said of police
  4. To confront with questions, demands or requests

Translations [edit]

to prepare oneself for an impact
to swing round the yards

Related terms [edit]

Anagrams [edit]

Italian [edit]

Noun [edit]

brace f (plural braci)

  1. (chiefly in the plural) embers
    Carne alla brace

Old French [edit]

Etymology [edit]

From Latin bracchia, originally the plural of bracchium.

Noun [edit]

brace f (oblique plural braces, nominative singular brace, nominative plural braces)

  1. arm (limb)

Descendants [edit]

References [edit]

Romanian [edit]

Alternative forms [edit]

Etymology [edit]

From Latin brācae, plural of brāca.

Noun [edit]

brace f pl

  1. (rare, regional) underwear, undergarments, drawers, unmentionables

Synonyms [edit]

Related terms [edit]

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