Word: brace Part of Speech: noun Etymology: From Middle English brace, from Old French brace (“arm”), from Latin bracchia, the nominative and accusative plural of bracchium (“arm”). Pronunciation: /bɹeɪs/ 1. A curved instrument or handle of iron or wood, for holding and turning bits, etc.; a bitstock. Example: a brace and bit 2. That which holds anything tightly or supports it firmly; a bandage or a prop. 3. A cord, ligament, or rod, for producing or maintaining tension. 4. A thong used to regulate the tension of a drum. Example: The little bones of the ear drum do in straining and relaxing it as the braces of the war drum do in that. 5. The state of being braced or tight; tension. Example: And I am of opinion, that the moſt frequent cauſe of Deafneſs is to be attributed to the Laxneſs of the Tympanum, vvhen it has loſt its Brace or Tenſion by ſome irregularity in the Figure of thoſe Bones, or defect in that Muſcle: […] 6. Harness; warlike preparation. Example: ’Tis a Pageant / To keepe vs in falſe gaze, when we conſider / Th’importancie of Cyprus to the Turke; / And let our ſelues againe but vnderſtand, / That as it more concerne the Turke then Rhodes, / So may he with more facile queſtion beare it, / For that it ſtands not in ſuch Warrelike brace, / But altogether lackes th’abilities / That Rhodes is dreſs’d in. 7. A curved, pointed line, also known as "curly bracket": { or } connecting two or more words or lines, which are to be considered together, such as in {role, roll}; in music, used to connect staves. 8. A pair, a couple; originally used of dogs, and later of animals generally (e.g., a brace of conies) and then other things, but rarely human persons. (In British use (as plural), this is a particularly common reference to game birds.) Example: But you, my brace of Lords, were I ſo minded / I heere could plucke his Highneſſe frowne vpon you / And iuſtifie you Traitors: […] Example: A brace of brethren, both bishops, both eminent for learning and religion, now appeared in the church; […] 9. 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. 10. A rope reeved through a block at the end of a yard, by which the yard is moved horizontally; also, a rudder gudgeon. 11. The mouth of a shaft. Labels: Cornwall, UK 12. Straps or bands to sustain trousers; suspenders. Labels: UK, in-plural 13. A system of wires, brackets, and elastic bands used to correct crooked teeth or to reduce overbite. Labels: plural, singular 14. Two goals scored by one player in a game. Example: Coordinate term: hat trick Example: The Manchester United midfielder’s late brace against Cyprus at the weekend was welcome, but will become no more than a footnote of his Scotland career. His brace here to down the mighty Spanish will go down in history. 15. Two wickets taken with two consecutive deliveries. 16. Armor for the arm; vambrace. Labels: obsolete 17. A measurement of length, originally representing a person's outstretched arms. Labels: obsolete