brace
brace — noun
1. a bar, frame, clasp, or similar part that keeps something firm, joined, or in pl
a bar, frame, clasp, or similar part that keeps something firm, joined, or in place.
A steel brace held the garden gate straight after last winter's storm.
metal brace supporting a damaged object
Workers added wooden braces under the stage before the school concert.
add braces under + structure
The cracked shelf needed a small metal brace at each corner.
A leather brace kept the two tool bags fastened to the bicycle.
brace as a fastening part
- metal brace
- wooden brace
- corner brace
- add braces
Usage Note
Common with physical structures, furniture, and fastenings. Distinguish from noun sense 4, which is worn on the body rather than built into an object.
Common Mistakes
2. a wire device worn on the teeth to move them into a straighter line.
a wire device worn on the teeth to move them into a straighter line.
Hana smiled carefully after the dentist tightened her braces on Monday.
tighten braces at the dentist
The boy forgot his lunch because his new braces made chewing slow.
At twelve, Priya started wearing braces to fix a crowded front row.
wear braces to straighten teeth
After two years in braces, Diego could finally bite evenly.
- wear braces
- get braces
- tighten braces
- remove braces
- dental braces
the full everyday name for this device
- orthodontic appliance
more technical term used by dentists
Usage Note
Usually used in the plural as 'braces' when talking about dental treatment. Distinguish from noun sense 3, which is the British clothing sense.
Common Mistakes
3. long straps worn over the shoulders to keep trousers from slipping down.
long straps worn over the shoulders to keep trousers from slipping down.
Ravi clipped his red braces onto his black trousers before the wedding.
clip braces onto trousers
The old photo shows Grandfather in braces and a flat cap.
Because the belt broke, Omar borrowed braces from the costume room.
braces as an alternative to a belt
On stage, the clown's bright braces kept sliding off one shoulder.
- a pair of braces
- wear braces
- clip on braces
- red braces
- suspenders
American English equivalent for the clothing sense
- shoulder straps
plain descriptive phrase, but less exact
Usage Note
Mainly British English. American English usually says 'suspenders' for this clothing item.
Common Mistakes
4. a support fixed to a weak or injured leg to help a person stand or walk.
a support fixed to a weak or injured leg to help a person stand or walk.
After knee surgery, Leila wore a brace during short walks.
wear a brace after surgery
The doctor fitted Yusuf with a leg brace before he left hospital.
fit someone with a leg brace
With a plastic brace on her ankle, Noa climbed the bus steps slowly.
The child could run farther once the new brace held his foot straight.
brace helping the leg or foot stay straight
- leg brace
- ankle brace
- wear a brace
- fit a brace
Usage Note
Often named by the body part before it, as in 'leg brace', 'knee brace', or 'ankle brace'. Distinguish from noun sense 1, which supports an object rather than a person.
Common Mistakes
5. one of the marks { } used to group words, numbers, or other items together.
one of the marks { } used to group words, numbers, or other items together.
In math class, the answer inside the braces showed the set of values.
inside the braces in maths
The code will fail if you delete the closing brace.
closing brace in code
Nina put the dates in braces to keep the note easy to read.
The teacher wrote two choices inside braces on the whiteboard.
braces grouping listed items
- curly braces
- opening brace
- closing brace
- inside braces
- curly bracket
common alternative name, especially in computing
- curly brace
full descriptive name for the mark
Usage Note
Often called 'curly braces' in computing. Usually used in the plural when you mean both marks together.
Common Mistakes
6. a matched pair of things, especially two birds taken by a hunter.
a matched pair of things, especially two birds taken by a hunter.
By noon, the hunters carried a brace of ducks back to camp.
brace of + hunted birds
The cook bought a brace of birds for tonight's country dinner.
In the old tale, the boy returned home with a brace of rabbits.
extended use for two animals
The glass case held a brace of antique pistols from Spain.
wider use meaning a matched pair
- a brace of ducks
- a brace of birds
- a brace of rabbits
- a brace of pistols
Usage Note
Mostly found in older writing, hunting contexts, or set phrases like 'a brace of ducks'. It can extend to any matched pair, but that use also sounds old-fashioned.
7. a sign at the left of several lines of music showing that they are played togeth
a sign at the left of several lines of music showing that they are played together.
In the piano book, a brace links the top and bottom lines.
brace linking two music lines
The teacher drew a brace beside both parts of the duet.
draw a brace beside + parts
Without the brace, Mei first thought the two lines were separate songs.
The copyist forgot the brace, so the page looked confusing.
- draw a brace
- add a brace
- piano brace
- missing brace
Usage Note
Used in printed music, especially where one player reads more than one line at once, as in piano music. Distinguish from noun sense 7, which is the writing symbol { }.
belt and braces
idiomUsing extra precautions or actions to ensure something works correctly, even if they are not strictly needed.
Maya installed both a lock and an alarm as a belt and braces approach.
Is this belt and braces strategy really necessary for our small project?
brace — verb
1. to hold something steady with a bar, frame, or your body so it will not fall or
to hold something steady with a bar, frame, or your body so it will not fall or bend.
Two workers braced the ladder while Uma climbed to the roof.
brace + object while someone climbs
The farmer braced the young tree with a post and soft rope.
brace + noun + with + support
Bao braced the door with a chair before the strong wind hit.
Stone blocks braced the river wall after the heavy rain.
inanimate subject bracing a structure
- brace the ladder
- brace the door
- brace a wall
- brace with a post
Grammar Patterns
brace + noun
brace + noun + with + support
Usage Note
Object is a physical thing that might move, bend, or fall. Common with buildings, doors, ladders, trees, and walls.
Common Mistakes
2. to make yourself ready in body or mind for pain, shock, or trouble.
to make yourself ready in body or mind for pain, shock, or trouble.
The passengers braced as the small plane dropped through thick cloud.
intransitive use before physical impact
Priya braced herself for the dentist's drill and squeezed the chair arms.
brace yourself for + unpleasant event
Cities along the coast are bracing for another night of heavy rain.
brace for + coming trouble
Theo braced for bad news when the hospital called after midnight.
- brace yourself
- brace for impact
- brace for bad news
- mentally brace yourself
- prepare
broader and calmer; not always linked to shock or pain
- steady yourself
close in meaning and often physical as well as emotional
- steel yourself
stronger and more literary; stresses inner courage
- relax
stop tensing your body or mind
- let your guard down
become less ready for danger or difficulty
Grammar Patterns
brace yourself for + noun
brace for + noun
Usage Note
Usually followed by 'for' and a noun phrase naming what is coming. Very often reflexive ('brace yourself'), especially when a speaker warns someone about bad news or a sudden shock.
Common Mistakes
Word family
- bracingadjectiveC1
Synonym discussion
Sense: verb/2
'Brace' is more vivid than 'prepare' when someone expects pain, impact, or bad news and tightens both mind and body against it. 'Prepare' is broader and calmer: you can prepare for an exam, a trip, or dinner guests. 'Steady yourself' is close to 'brace', but it often focuses on controlling your feelings or balance in the moment. 'Steel yourself' is stronger and more literary, stressing inner courage before something emotionally hard. 'Gear up' is informal and often suggests practical action more than emotional control. Compare: 'Theo braced for the phone call from the hospital.' 'Theo prepared for tomorrow's interview.' 'After the warning siren, the town steeled itself for the storm.'
Etymology
English got 'brace' from Old French, which took it from Latin 'bracchium', meaning 'arm'. Early uses were tied to the idea of an arm-like support or a pair working together. From that base, English developed the sense of a bar or frame that strengthens something, then the idea of a pair of animals or objects, and later the music and punctuation signs that join things into one group. The verb grew from the noun: first 'to fit with a support', then more generally 'to steady or strengthen', and finally 'to steady yourself for trouble or shock'.