n. A prop or support; specifically, in architecture, a piece of timber placed near and across the angles in the frame of a building in order to strengthen it. When used to support a rafter it is called a strut.n. That which holds two or more things firmly together; a cincture or bandage.n. A pair; a couple: as, a brace of ducks: used of persons only with a shade of contempt or colloquially.n. A thick strap by which a carriage-body is suspended from C-springs.n. In printing, a vertical double-curved line, used to connect two or more lines: thus, , or two or more staves in music.n. A leather band placed about the cords of a drum and sliding upon them: used to raise or lower the tone by increasing or lessening the tension of the cords: as, “the braces of the war drum,”n. plural Straps passing over the shoulders to sustain the trousers; suspenders.n. A device for supporting a weak back, curved shoulders, etc.n. Nautical: One of the ropes fastened to the yards of a ship, one to each yard-arm, which, reaching to the deck, enable the yards to be swung about horizontally. They also help the yards to support the strain caused by the wind on the sails. plural Straps of brass or metal castings fastened on the stern-post, to receive the pintles by which the rudder is hung.n. A defense or protection for the arm; specifically, one used in archery. Same as bracer, 2.n. State of defense.n. The state of being braced; tension; tightness.n. An arm (of the sea).n. A curved instrument of iron or wood for holding and turning boring-tools, etc.; a bit-stock.n. A wooden rod with spiked ends, used to support scenery in a theater.n. plural The leather slides on the cords of a snare-drum, by which the tension of the head is variedTo clasp or grasp; embrace; hold firmly.To bind or tie closely; fit or secure by ties; bandage; strap.To string or bend (a bow) by putting the eye of the string in the upper nock preparatory to shooting.To make tense; strain up; increase the tension, tone, or vigor of; strengthen: used both literally and figuratively: as, to brace the nerves.To fix in the position of a brace; hold firmly in place: used reflexively: as, to brace one's self against a post or a crowd.To furnish with, or support or prop by, braces: as, to brace a building or a falling wall.Nautical, to swing or turn around (the yards of a ship) by means of the braces.In writing and printing, to unite or connect by a brace, as two or more lines, staves of music, etc.To increase the tension, tone, or vigor of: often used intransitively with the object understood.n. In mining, the flooring around the mouth of a shaft.n. In any frame, a stiff piece, as a bar or strip, put in to prevent a parallelogram or the like from changing its shape under pressure or strain.n. Same as brace-head.n. A short, thick bar lying above the suture between two pyramids in the dental apparatus of Echinus.n. In saddlery, the short strap which connects the hip-strap and the breeching-body.n. An old measure of weight. A Hurley brace was equal to 4 cwt.n. In mining, a platform at the top of a shaft on which miners stand to work the tackle.