Brave
Pronunciation
- enPR: brÄv, IPA: /breɪv/
- Rhymes: -eɪv
Origin
French brave, borrowed from Italian bravo, itself either from Provencal brau ("show-off"), from Gaulish *bragos (compare Middle Irish breagha (modern breá) 'fine', Breton braga 'to strut') or from Latin *bravus, from a fusion of pravus and barbarus into a root *bravus.
Full definition of brave
Adjective
brave
- Strong in the face of fear; courageous.
- 1897, Bram Stoker, Dracula Chapter 21"Do not fret, dear. You must be brave and strong, and help me through the horrible task. If you only knew what an effort it is to me to tell of this fearful thing at all, you would understand how much I need your help.
- 1987, Michael Grumley, The Last Diary:... he has been so brave, giving it all a dignity.
- (obsolete) Having any sort of superiority or excellence.
- Francis BaconIron is a brave commodity where wood aboundeth.
- Samuel PepysIt being a brave day, I walked to Whitehall.
- Making a fine show or display.
- ShakespeareWear my dagger with the braver grace.
- Robert GreeneFor I have gold, and therefore will be brave.
In silks I'll rattle it of every color. - EmersonFrog and lizard in holiday coats
And turtle brave in his golden spots.
Noun
brave
(plural braves)- A Native American warrior.
- A man daring beyond discretion; a bully.
- DrydenHot braves like thee may fight.
- A challenge; a defiance; bravado.
- ShakespeareDemetrius, thou dost overween in all;
And so in this, to bear me down with braves.
Verb
- (transitive) To encounter with courage and fortitude, to defy.
- unknown date, John DrydenThese I can brave, but those I can not bear.
- 1773, A Farmer, Rivington's New-York Gazetteer, Number 53, December 2but they Parliament never will be braved into it.
- After braving tricks on the high-dive, he braved a jump off the first diving platform.
- (transitive, obsolete) To adorn; to make fine or showy.
- unknown date, ShakespeareThou tailor whom Grunio was browbeating hast braved meny men; brave not me; I'll neither be faced or braved.