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Webster 1913 Edition

Brace

Brace

,
Noun.
[OF.
brace
,
brasse
, the two arms, embrace, fathom, F.
brasse
fathom, fr. L.
bracchia
the arms (stretched out), pl. of
bracchium
arm; cf. Gr. [GREEK].]
1.
That which holds anything tightly or supports it firmly; a bandage or a prop.
2.
A cord, ligament, or rod, for producing or maintaining tension, as a cord on the side of a drum.
The little bones of the ear drum do in straining and relaxing it as the
braces
of the war drum do in that.
Derham.
3.
The state of being braced or tight; tension.
The laxness of the tympanum, when it has lost its
brace
or tension.
Holder.
4.
(Arch. & Engin.)
A piece of material used to transmit, or change the direction of, weight or pressure; any one of the pieces, in a frame or truss, which divide the structure into triangular parts. It may act as a tie, or as a strut, and serves to prevent distortion of the structure, and transverse strains in its members. A boiler brace is a diagonal stay, connecting the head with the shell.
5.
(Print.)
A vertical curved line connecting two or more words or lines, which are to be taken together; thus, boll, bowl; or, in music, used to connect staves.
6.
(Naut.)
A rope reeved through a block at the end of a yard, by which the yard is moved horizontally; also, a rudder gudgeon.
7.
(Mech.)
A curved instrument or handle of iron or wood, for holding and turning bits, etc.; a bitstock.
8.
A pair; a couple;
as, a
brace
of ducks
; now rarely applied to persons, except familiarly or with some contempt.
“A brace of greyhounds.”
Shak.
He is said to have shot . . . fifty
brace
of pheasants.
Addison.
A
brace
of brethren, both bishops, both eminent for learning and religion, now appeared in the church.
Fuller.
But you, my
brace
of lords.
Shakespeare
9.
pl.
Straps or bands to sustain trousers; suspenders.
I embroidered for you a beautiful pair of
braces
.
Thackeray.
10.
Harness; warlike preparation.
[Obs.]
For that it stands not in such warlike
brace
.
Shakespeare
11.
Armor for the arm; vantbrace.
12.
(Mining)
The mouth of a shaft.
[Cornwall]
Angle brace
.
See under
Angle
.

Brace

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Braced
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Bracing
.]
1.
To furnish with braces; to support; to prop;
as, to
brace
a beam in a building
.
2.
To draw tight; to tighten; to put in a state of tension; to strain; to strengthen;
as, to
brace
the nerves
.
And welcome war to
brace
her drums.
Campbell.
3.
To bind or tie closely; to fasten tightly.
The women of China, by
bracing
and binding them from their infancy, have very little feet.
Locke.
Some who spurs had first
braced
on.
Sir W. Scott.
4.
To place in a position for resisting pressure; to hold firmly;
as, he
braced
himself against the crowd
.
A sturdy lance in his right hand he
braced
.
Fairfax.
5.
(Naut.)
To move around by means of braces;
as, to
brace
the yards
.
To brace about
(Naut.)
,
to turn (a yard) round for the contrary tack.
–
To brace a yard
(Naut.)
,
to move it horizontally by means of a brace.
–
To brace in
(Naut.)
,
to turn (a yard) by hauling in the weather brace.
–
To brace one’s self
,
to call up one's energies.
“He braced himself for an effort which he was little able to make.”
J. D. Forbes.
–
To brace to
(Naut.)
,
to turn (a yard) by checking or easing off the lee brace, and hauling in the weather one, to assist in tacking.
–
To brace up
(Naut.)
,
to bring (a yard) nearer the direction of the keel by hauling in the lee brace.
–
To brace up sharp
(Naut.)
,
to turn (a yard) as far forward as the rigging will permit.

Brace

,
Verb.
I.
To get tone or vigor; to rouse one's energies; – with up.
[Colloq.]

Webster 1828 Edition

Brace

BRACE

,
Noun.
[L. brachium; Gr. the arm.]
1.
In architecture, a piece of timber framed in with bevel joints, to keep the building from swerving either way. It extends like an arm from the post or main timber.
2.
That which holds any thing tight; a cincture or bandage. The braces of a drum are not bands.
3.
A pair; a couple; as a brace of ducks. It is used of persons only in contempt, or in the style of drollery.
4.
In music, a double curve at the beginning of stave.
5.
A thick strap, which supports a carriage on wheels.
6.
A crooked line in printing, connecting two or more words or lines; thus boll, bowl. It is used to connect triplets in poetry.
7.
In marine language, a rope reeved through a block at the end of a yard, to square or traverse the yard. The name is given also to pieces of iron which are used as supports; such as of the poop lanterns, &c.
8.
Brace, or brasse,is a foreign measure answering to our fathom.
9.
Harness; warlike preparation; as we say, girded for battle.
10. Tension; tightness.
11. Braces, plu., suspenders, the straps that sustain pantaloons, &c.
12. The braces of a drum, are the cords on the sides of it, for tightening the heads and snares.

BRACE

,
Verb.
T.
To draw tight; to tighten; to bind or tie close; to make tight and firm.
1.
To make tense; to strain up; as, to brace a drum.
2.
To furnish with braces; as, to brace a building.
3.
To strengthen; to increase tension; as, to brace the nerves.
4.
In marine language, to bring the yards to either side.
To brace about is to turn the yards round for the contrary tack.
To brace sharp is to cause the yards to have the smallest possible angle with the keel.
To brace to is to check or ease off the leg braces, and round-in the weather ones, to assist in tacking.

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