brace

C2+ Topic:Actions & Processes

US /breɪs/ UK /breɪs/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

verb
to prepare or steady oneself; a support or a pair

They braced themselves against the howling wind.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to prepare or steady... steady prepare strengthen support fortify stiffen prop gird

Opposites

weaken loosen

Word family

Derived forms bracingbracerbraced

Related forms embrace bracelet

Etymology

From Old French brace ('two arms, an embrace; a measure of length'), from Latin bracchia ('arms'), plural of bracchium ('arm'), from Ancient Greek brakhiōn ('arm'). The verb sense comes from clasping or tightening with the arms.

brace Old French bracchium Latin brakhiōn Ancient Greek

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# brace

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /breɪs/
**IPA (UK):** /breɪs/

## Meanings
1. to prepare or steady oneself; a support or a pair

## Examples
- They braced themselves against the howling wind.

## Synonyms
- steady
- prepare
- strengthen
- support
- fortify
- stiffen
- prop
- gird

## Antonyms
- weaken
- loosen

## Derived Forms
- bracing
- bracer
- braced

## Related Forms
- embrace
- bracelet

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: brace
- Root: bracchium
- Root: brakhiōn

## Etymology
From Old French brace ('two arms, an embrace; a measure of length'), from Latin bracchia ('arms'), plural of bracchium ('arm'), from Ancient Greek brakhiōn ('arm'). The verb sense comes from clasping or tightening with the arms.

## AI Etymology
Brace is from Old French brace ('two arms, an embrace; a measure of length'), from Latin bracchia ('arms'), plural of bracchium ('arm'), from Ancient Greek brakhiōn ('arm'). The verb sense comes from clasping or tightening with the arms. In present-day use, it means to prepare or steady oneself; a support or a pair. Derived formations include bracing, bracer, and braced. Related vocabulary includes embrace and bracelet.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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