brace

I UK [breɪs] / US verb
Word forms "brace":
present tense I/you/we/they brace he/she/it braces present participle bracing past tense braced past participle braced

1) [intransitive/transitive] to get ready for something unpleasant

brace yourself for something:

I braced myself for the results of my blood test.

brace yourself to do something:

Smith braced himself to give her the bad news.

be braced for something:

Financial markets are braced for another turbulent week.

brace for:

The city is bracing itself for the hurricane.

2) [transitive] to push your body, or a part of it, against something solid and strong in order to support yourself or to avoid falling

She braced herself against the wall.

brace yourself/something against something:

He braced his foot against the door so she couldn't open it.

3) [intransitive/transitive] to make your body, or a part of it, stiff and strong in order to do something that needs a lot of physical effort

He faced the angry crowd, his arms folded, his legs braced.

brace for:

The passengers were told how to brace for the crash.

4) [transitive] to support an object with a piece of wood, metal etc so that it does not fall down

II UK [breɪs] / US noun
Word forms "brace":
singular brace plural braces

1) [countable] an object that supports a part of your body and holds it in the correct position after you have injured it

a back/neck brace

a) [countable] a piece of wood, metal etc used for supporting an object so that it does not fall down

b) braces

[plural] American a pair of metal objects that someone wears around their legs to help them to walk. The British word is callipers.

2) [countable] British a set of wires that you wear on your teeth to push them into the correct position. The American word is braces.

3)

a) [countable]

Word forms "brace":
plural brace a pair of game birds (= birds killed for sport and then eaten) brace of:

three brace of pheasant

b) literary a pair of people, animals, or objects

4) braces

[plural] British two long narrow pieces of cloth that go over a man's shoulders and are fastened to the waist of his trousers at the front and back in order to hold them up. The American word is suspenders.

5) [countable] a curly bracket

6) [countable] a part of a tool called a brace and bit, used especially in the past for making holes in things. You usually use a drill now instead.