Definition of "brace"
- noun
Armor for the arm; vambrace.
A measurement of length, originally representing a person's outstretched arms.
A curved instrument or handle of iron or wood, for holding and turning bits, etc.; a bitstock.
That which holds anything tightly or supports it firmly; a bandage or a prop.
A cord, ligament, or rod, for producing or maintaining tension.
A thong used to regulate the tension of a drum.
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.
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.
A rope reeved through a block at the end of a yard, by which the yard is moved horizontally; also, a rudder gudgeon.
The mouth of a shaft.
Straps or bands to sustain trousers; suspenders.
A system of wires, brackets, and elastic bands used to correct crooked teeth or to reduce overbite.
Two goals scored by one player in a game.
- verb
To prepare for something bad, as an impact or blow.
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.
To stop someone for questioning, usually said of police.
To confront with questions, demands or requests.
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