Brace

From Old French brace ("arm"), from Latin bracchia, the

nominative and accusative plural of Latin bracchium ("arm").

Full definition of brace

(plural braces)

(obsolete) Armor for the arm; vambrace.
(obsolete) 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.

DerhamThe little bones of the ear drum do in straining and relaxing it as the braces of the war drum do in that.

(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 ; in music, used to connect staves.
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 British use (as plural), this is a particularly common reference to game birds.

1610, , by William Shakespeare, act 5 scene 1But you, my brace of lords, were I so minded,I here could pluck his highness' frown upon you,And justify you traitors
AddisonHe is said to have shot ... fifty brace of pheasants.
FullerA brace of brethren, both bishops, both eminent for learning and religion, now appeared in the church.

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.
(nautical) A rope reeved through a block at the end of a yard, by which the yard is moved horizontally; also, a rudder gudgeon.
(UK, Cornwall, mining) The mouth of a shaft.
(mostly, in the plural) Straps or bands to sustain trousers; suspenders.
(mostly, in the plural) A system of wires, brackets, and elastic bands used to correct crooked teeth or to reduce overbite.
(soccer) Two goals scored by one player in a game.

(transitive, intransitive) To prepare for something bad, as an impact or blow.All hands, brace for impact!

The boy has no idea about everything that's been going on. You need to brace him for what's about to happen.
To place in a position for resisting pressure; to hold firmly.He braced himself against the crowd.

(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 windto brace the yards
To stop someone for questioning, usually said of police.
To confront with questions, demands or requests.
To furnish with braces; to support; to prop.to brace a beam in a building
To draw tight; to tighten; to put in a state of tension; to strain; to strengthen.to brace the nerves

John LockeThe women of China, by bracing and binding them from their infancy, have very little feet.
Sir Walter Scottsome who spurs had first braced on