From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishbracebrace1 /breɪs/ verb 1 PREPARE[transitive] to mentally or physically prepare yourself or someone else for something unpleasant that is going to happenbrace yourself (for something) Nancy braced herself for the inevitable arguments. The military needs to brace itself for further spending cuts, says McCoy.brace yourself to do something Cathy braced herself to see Matthew, who she expected to arrive at any minute.be braced for something The base was braced for an attack.2 PUSH[transitive] to push part of your body against something solid in order to make yourself more steadybrace something against something Gina braced her back against the wall and pushed as hard as she could.brace yourself (for something) The pilot told passengers and crew to brace themselves for a rough landing.3 STRONG OBJECTSTRONG PERSON[transitive] to make something stronger by supporting it Wait until we’ve braced the ladder. Workers used steel beams to brace the roof.4 HARD[intransitive, transitive] to make your body or part of your body stiff in order to prepare to do something difficult→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
brace• The question was like a blow, causing Roz to brace herself against the sofa.• Each time an elderly man approached, he braced himself for it to be Stillman.• Guy tensed the instant she moved, as though bracing himself for resistance.• Alex braced his arms and pushed the car out of the road.• Patrick braced his head against the rest just as the crash came.• However, if you insist on sawing the post in place, brace it firmly.• Now I get my rifle ready and brace myself, making sure of my footing.• The building uses steel poles to brace the roof.be braced for something• This time many were braced for heavy losses again.brace yourself (for something)• As Mrs Aitken left, Shiona braced herself.• I had to brace myself against the side to keep from getting sucked into the overheated pit he created with his body.• I braced myself against the wall.• The ice beneath him gave; he braced himself, and slid slowly into the muddy lake up to his neck.• I brace myself as he shoots.• Now she should brace herself for a shock.• She braced herself to outface him.bracebrace2 noun 1 SUPPORT[countable] something that is used to strengthen or support something, or to make it stiff The miners used special braces to keep the walls from collapsing.neck/back/knee brace (=a brace that supports the neck etc) He was being fitted for a back brace. She had to wear a brace after the accident.2 TEETH[countable] (also braces [plural]) a system of metal wires that people, usually children, wear on their teeth to make them grow straight3 [countable usually plural] American English a metal support that someone with weak legs wears to help them walk SYN callipers British English4 → braces5 PRINTED SIGNSLA[countable] one of a pair of signs { } used to show that information written between them should be considered together → bracket6 → a brace of somethingExamples from the Corpus
brace• The steel beam serves as a brace for the ceiling.• Many Clutton players and supporters were still stunned by Royston Marley's brilliant brace of goals as they boarded the bus home.• Several children in this group needed a full brace in order to be able to stand.• I shift down the bench to make room for a girl with a knee brace.• She exercised constantly, even when it hurt, and she eventually was able to walk without a leg brace.• McInerney swam over to the co-pilot and put a neck brace on him.• Diane had to wear a neck brace for eight weeks after the accident.• She bore the sliding brace of a credit-card franker.• Once on the brace, he thought that was as far as he could go.• A dozen suited men were fastening the edges of the insulator to the brace of the frame.wear ... brace• He wore a brace on the knee last season and caught 41 passes and scored two touchdowns.• By 40, I wore a brace on my left leg and used a motorized scooter to cover all but short distances.• He told us she might need to wear a brace to correct it.Origin brace2 (1300-1400) Old French “two arms”, from Latin bracchia, from bracchium “arm” 