thoroughbrace

English

A 19th century stagecoach with visible thoroughbraces

Etymology

thorough +‎ brace

Alternative forms

thorough-brace

Noun

thoroughbrace (plural thoroughbraces)

1. (dated or historical) A leather strap supporting the body of a coach or wagon, attached to springs or serving as a spring itself.
   • 1858, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr., The Deacon's Masterpiece (poem):

     Spring, tire, axle, and linchpin too,
     Steel of the finest, bright and blue;
     Thoroughbrace bison-skin, thick and wide;
     Boot, top, dasher, from tough old hide
     Found in the pit when the tanner died.

   • 1862, Richard Francis Burton, The City of the Saints, Chapter 1:

     The wagon-bed is supported by iron bands or perpendiculars abutting upon wooden rockers, which rest on strong leather thoroughbraces: these are found to break the jolt better than the best steel springs, which, moreover, when injured, can not readily be repaired.

   • 1870–1871 (date written), Mark Twain [pseudonym; Samuel Langhorne Clemens], chapter III, in Roughing It, Hartford, Conn.: American Publishing Company [et al.], published 1872, →OCLC:

     "Why, it happened by trying to make one coach carry three days' mail—that's how it happened," said he. "And right here is the very direction which is wrote on all the newspaper-bags which was to be put out for the Injuns for to keep 'em quiet. It's most uncommon lucky, becuz it's so nation dark I should 'a' gone by unbeknowns if that air thoroughbrace hadn't broke."

References

• “thorough-brace”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.