- brace
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/brays/, n., v., braced, bracing.n.1. something that holds parts together or in place, as a clasp or clamp.2. anything that imparts rigidity or steadiness.3. Also called bitbrace, bitstock. Mach. a device for holding and turning a bit for boring or drilling.4. Building Trades. a piece of timber, metal, etc., for supporting or positioning another piece or portion of a framework.5. Naut. (on a square-rigged ship) a rope by which a yard is swung about and secured horizontally.6. Music. leather loops sliding upon the tightening cords of a drum to change their tension and the drum's pitch.7. Often, braces. Dentistry. a round or flat metal wire placed against the surfaces of the teeth for straightening irregularly arranged teeth.8. Med. an appliance for supporting a weak joint or joints.9. braces, Chiefly Brit. suspender (def. 1).10. a pair; couple: a brace of grouse.11. Printing.a. one of two characters { or } used to enclose words or lines to be considered together.b. bracket (def. 7).12. Music. connected staves.13. a protective band covering the wrist or lower part of the arm, esp. a bracer.14. Mil. a position of attention with exaggeratedly stiff posture.v.t.15. to furnish, fasten, or strengthen with or as if with a brace.16. to fix firmly; make steady; secure against pressure or impact: He braces himself when the ship rolls. Brace yourself for some bad news.17. to make tight; increase the tension of.18. to act as a stimulant to.19. Naut. to swing or turn around (the yards of a ship) by means of the braces.20. Mil. to order (a subordinate) to assume and maintain a brace.v.i.21. Mil. to assume a brace.22. brace in, Naut. to brace (the yards of a square-rigged vessel) more nearly athwartships, as for running free.23. brace up, Informal. to summon up one's courage; become resolute: She choked back her tears and braced up.[1300-50; (n.) ME < AF, OF: pair of arms < L bra(c)chia pl. (taken as fem. sing.) of bra(c)chium arm ( < Gk; see BRACHIUM); (v.) in part ME bracen ( < AF bracier, deriv. of brace; cf. EMBRACE1), in part. deriv. of the n.]Syn. 1. vise. 4. stay, prop, strut. 10. See pair. 15. support, fortify, prop. 17. tauten, tense. 18. fortify.
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Universalium. 2010.