braced; bracing
1
b
: invigorate, freshen
… I took the shower and it braced me up a bit.—
Raymond Chandler
Raymond Chandler
c
: to prepare for use by making taut
brace a drum
2
a
: to furnish or support with a brace (see brace entry 2 sense 1)
heavily braced against the wind
b
: to make stronger : reinforce
nerves … braced by long familiarity with danger—T. B. Macaulay
T. B. Macaulay3
: to put or plant firmly
braces his foot in the stirrup
4
nautical
: to turn (a sail yard) by means of a brace (see brace entry 2 sense 1e)
5
6
archaic
: to fasten tightly : bind
1
: to get ready (as for an attack)
brace for the storm
2
: to take heart
—used with up
brace up and do something—Upton Sinclair
Upton Sinclair
plural braces
1
: something that transmits, directs, resists, or supports weight or pressure: such as
a
: a diagonal piece of structural material that serves to strengthen something (such as a framework)
walls held up with braces
b
medical
: an appliance for supporting a body part
has braces on his legs
a neck brace
c
braces plural, dentistry
: an orthodontic appliance usually of metallic wire that is used especially to exert pressure to straighten misaligned teeth
had braces as a teenager
d
e
nautical
: a rope rove through a block at the end of a ship's yard (see yard entry 4 sense 3) to swing it horizontally
2
a
: one of two marks { } used to connect words or items to be considered together
b
music
: one of these marks connecting two or more musical staffs (see staff entry 1 sense 3) carrying parts to be performed simultaneously
c
: bracket sense 3a
numbers written in braces
3
4
: something (such as a clasp) that connects or fastens
5
: a crank-shaped instrument for turning a bit (see bit entry 1 sense 1a(2))
6
: a position of rigid attention
on review, his uniform and brace were technically correct—Time
Time7
: something that arouses energy or strengthens morale
Synonyms
Examples of brace in a Sentence
Verb
He braced the gate with a piece of wood.
Steel columns brace the structure.
She braced herself with one hand and reached up with the other.
Noun
We need to add some sort of brace to hold the shelf in place.
He could walk with braces on his legs.
She wears a back brace.
Recent Examples on the Web
Jack Kelly, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024
Jittery Mexican officials are bracing for the second term of Trump, who has vowed to unleash both record deportations and wide-ranging tariffs that could throttle Mexico’s already-sluggish economy, which is heavily dependent on trade with the United States.
—Patrick J. McDonnell, Los Angeles Times, 21 Nov. 2024
Cindy Kuzma, SELF, 21 Nov. 2024
This red California county roiled by a far-right-insurgency braces for more trouble as election nears.
—Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 3 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for brace 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Verb
Federal employees are bracing for considerable changes as President-elect Donald Trump prepares for his return to the White House.
—Jack Kelly, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024
Jittery Mexican officials are bracing for the second term of Trump, who has vowed to unleash both record deportations and wide-ranging tariffs that could throttle Mexico’s already-sluggish economy, which is heavily dependent on trade with the United States.
—Patrick J. McDonnell, Los Angeles Times, 21 Nov. 2024
Noun
This helps reduce any extra motion in your foot, almost the way an ankle brace might stabilize the joint.
—Cindy Kuzma, SELF, 21 Nov. 2024
This red California county roiled by a far-right-insurgency braces for more trouble as election nears.
—Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 3 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for brace
Dictionary Entries Near brace
Cite this Entry
“Brace.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brace. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
brace
2 of 2 noun
plural braces or brace
1
: two of a kind : pair
several brace of quail
2
: something that connects, fastens, or tightens
3
: a tool with a U-shaped bend that is used to turn wood-boring bits
4
a
: something that transfers, resists, or supports weight or pressure
especially
: a slanted timber used as a support in a structure
b
plural
: suspender sense 2
c
: a device for supporting a body part (as the shoulders)
d
plural
: a usually wire device attached to the teeth to make them straight and pull them into position
5
a
: a mark { or } used to connect words or items or musical staffs that are to be considered together
b
: one of a pair of such marks enclosing words or symbols
Etymology
Verb
Middle English bracen "to fasten, bind," from early French bracer "to embrace," from brace "pair of arms," derived from Latin bracchium "arm" — related to bracelet, brassiere, embrace see Word History at embrace
Noun
Middle English brace "pair, clasp," from early French brace "pair of arms," derived from Latin bracchium "arm" — related to pretzel see Word History at pretzel
Medical Definition
brace
1 of 2 noun1
: an appliance that gives support to movable parts (as a joint or a fractured bone), to weak muscles (as in paralysis), or to strained ligaments (as of the lower back)
2
braces plural
: an orthodontic appliance usually of metallic wire that is used especially to exert pressure to straighten misaligned teeth and that is not removable by the patient
brace
2 of 2 transitive verb
braced; bracing
: to furnish or support with a brace
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