brace en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- /bɹeɪs/
- (Southern-England) audio
Etymology
From Middle English brace, from Old French brace (“arm”), from Latin bracchia, the nominative and accusative plural of bracchium (“arm”).
Meanings
-
A curved instrument or handle of iron or wood, for holding and turning bits, etc.; a bitstock.
a brace and bit
- That which holds anything tightly or supports it firmly; a bandage or a prop.
- A cord, ligament, or rod, for producing or maintaining tension.
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A thong used to regulate the tension 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.
1713, W[illiam] Derham, Physico-Theology: Or, A Demonstration of the Being and Attributes of God, from His Works of Creation. […], London: […] W[illiam] Innys, […], →OCLC:
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The state of being braced or tight; tension.
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: […]
1669, William Holder, Elements of Speech: An Essay of Inquiry into the Natural Production of Letters: […], London: […] T. N[ewcomb] for J[ohn] Martyn printer to the R[oyal] Society, […], →OCLC, page 113:
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Harness; warlike preparation.
’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.
c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Othello, the Moore of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iii], page 313, column 1:
- 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.
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(collective, qualifier:plural brace) 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.)
A brace of brethren, both bishops, both eminent for learning and religion, now appeared in the church; […]
1655, Thomas Fuller, “Section II. The Seventh Century.”, in The Church-history of Britain; […], London: […] Iohn Williams […], →OCLC, (please specify |book=I to XI), subsection 84 (St. Cedde and St. Chad), page 127:He is ſaid, this ſummer to have ſhot with his own hands fifty brace of pheaſants, and one wild pig; to have ſet thirty coveys of partridges; and to have hunted down forty brace of hares; […]
1716 May 3 (Gregorian calendar), Joseph Addison, “The Free-holder: No. 36. Sunday, April 23. [1716.]”, in The Works of the Right Honourable Joseph Addison, Esq; […], volume IV, London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], published 1721, →OCLC, page 493:There were four of us,—my friend the captain, myself, an old sportsman from Sognedale, called Peter Sandaker, and a smart boy, who had charge of two brace of hounds.
1881, P. Chr. Asbjörnsen [i.e., Peter Christen Asbjørnsen], “A Day with the Capercailzies”, in H. L. Brækstad, transl., Round the Yule Log. Norwegian Folk and Fairy Tales, London: Sampson Low, Marston, Searle, & Rivington, →OCLC, page 68:"Are you a prime shot?" said Richard. / Ripton nodded knowingly, and answered, "Pretty good." / "Then we'll have a dozen brace apiece to-day," said Richard.
1859, George Meredith, “Showing How the Fates Selected the Fourteenth Birthday to Try the Strength of the System”, in The Ordeal of Richard Feverel. A History of Father and Son. […], volume I, London: Chapman and Hall, →OCLC, page 79:He had had a good day, for several brace of wild fowl hung from his shoulder, and he appeared tired.
1905, P[atrick] A[ugustine] Sheehan, “Foreshadowings”, in Glenanaar: A Story of Irish Life, New York, N.Y.; London; Bombay: Longmans, Green, and Co. […], page 115:But you, my brace of Lords, were I ſo minded / I heere could plucke his Highneſſe frowne vpon you / And iuſtifie you Traitors: […]
1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene i], page 17, column 1:Coordinate term: leash
- 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.
- A rope reeved through a block at the end of a yard, by which the yard is moved horizontally; also, a rudder gudgeon.
- (Cornwall, UK) The mouth of a shaft.
- (UK, in-plural) Straps or bands to sustain trousers; suspenders.
- (in North America, in the UK, plural, singular) A system of wires, brackets, and elastic bands used to correct crooked teeth or to reduce overbite.
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Two goals scored by one player in a game.
Coordinate term: hat trick
To score a 'brace' means that you have scored two goals in a game.
2020 October 23, “What is a brace in soccer?”, in Goal: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.
28 March 2023, Graeme McGarry, “Scott McTominay earns place in history as Scotland stun Spain”, in The Herald:
- Two wickets taken with two consecutive deliveries.
- (obsolete) Armor for the arm; vambrace.
- (obsolete) A measurement of length, originally representing a person's outstretched arms.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| braces | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
forebrace · wheel brace · angle brace · braceless · cross brace · large curly brace · one true brace style · neckbrace · embrace · Chêneau brace · armbrace · neck-brace · curly brace · in a brace of shakes · overbrace · underbrace · mainbrace · neck brace · thoroughbrace · Meole Brace · Boston brace · Milwaukee brace
Synonyms
dyad (pair, couple) · fathom (measure of length representing a person's outstretched arms) · twosome · duo · see Thesaurus:duo
Translations (113)
bg свръзка (that which holds tightly) · nl bretels (straps or bands to sustain trousers) · mi kaumahaki (structural piece used for support, often diagonal) · de Federzug (arrangement for producing tension) · fi parivaljakko (a pair) · fi kaksikko (a pair) · de Strebe (structural piece used for support, often diagonal) · de Zwinge (arrangement for producing tension) · de Paar (a pair) · fi side (that which holds tightly) · ru подпо́рка (structural piece used for support, often diagonal) · de Anker (structural piece used for support, often diagonal) · mi tauhōkai (structural piece used for support, often diagonal) · fr couple (a pair) · de Spannband (arrangement for producing tension) · bg скоба (that which holds tightly) · gl braza (measure of length representing a person's outstretched arms — see also fathom, toise) · de Zugband (structural piece used for support, often diagonal) · de Windrispenband (structural piece used for support, often diagonal) · de Stütze (structural piece used for support, often diagonal) · de Klemme (that which holds tightly) · ru скре́па (that which holds tightly) · de Schiene (that which holds tightly) · bg обтяжка (arrangement for producing tension) · de Verstrebung (structural piece used for support, often diagonal) · es braza (measure of length representing a person's outstretched arms — see also fathom, toise) · mi hōngai (structural piece used for support, often diagonal) · he מוֹשְכָה (rope for moving a yard) · de Spannzwinge (arrangement for producing tension) · es tirante (arrangement for producing tension) · de Armspanne (measure of length representing a person's outstretched arms — see also fathom, toise) · id dwigol (two goals in one game) · hu nadrágtartó (straps or bands to sustain trousers) · de Zange (structural piece used for support, often diagonal) · ru упо́рка (structural piece used for support, often diagonal) · de Halter (that which holds tightly) · bg чифт (a pair) · de Zwinge (that which holds tightly) · ca braça (measure of length representing a person's outstretched arms — see also fathom, toise) · fr doublé (two goals in one game) · bg тиранти (straps or bands to sustain trousers) · mi hōkai (structural piece used for support, often diagonal) · it braccia (measure of length representing a person's outstretched arms — see also fathom, toise) · fi henkselit (straps or bands to sustain trousers) · bg брас (rope for moving a yard) · fi kannatin (structural piece used for support, often diagonal) · ota قولاچ (measure of length representing a person's outstretched arms — see also fathom, toise) · es doblete (two goals in one game) · fr toise (measure of length representing a person's outstretched arms — see also fathom, toise) · fi olkaimet (straps or bands to sustain trousers) · fi tupla (two goals in one game) · de Windrispe (structural piece used for support, often diagonal) · gd caigeann (a pair) · mi tauteka (that which holds tightly) · es tensor (arrangement for producing tension) · fr bretelles (straps or bands to sustain trousers) · de Tragband (structural piece used for support, often diagonal) · mi tauteka (structural piece used for support, often diagonal) · de Bandage (arrangement for producing tension) · ru подтяжка (straps or bands to sustain trousers) · de Spange (that which holds tightly) · fi pari (a pair) · fi ahdin (rope for moving a yard) · de Kopfband (structural piece used for support, often diagonal) · de Band (that which holds tightly) · de Stützbalken (structural piece used for support, often diagonal) · it abbraccio (that which holds tightly) · mi whanganga (measure of length representing a person's outstretched arms — see also fathom, toise) · fi syli (measure of length representing a person's outstretched arms — see also fathom, toise) · es tirantes (straps or bands to sustain trousers) · de Doppelschlag (two goals in one game) · ko 멀티골 (two goals in one game) · mi tōpū (a pair) · it bretella (straps or bands to sustain trousers) · de Zugstab (arrangement for producing tension) · de Klafter (measure of length representing a person's outstretched arms — see also fathom, toise) · de Spanngummi (arrangement for producing tension) · de Doppelpack (two goals in one game) · de Knagge (structural piece used for support, often diagonal) · fr fiche (structural piece used for support, often diagonal) · fi vinotuki (structural piece used for support, often diagonal) · de Befestigung (that which holds tightly) · fi brassi (rope for moving a yard) · pt braça (measure of length representing a person's outstretched arms — see also fathom, toise) · uk скоба (that which holds tightly) · fi tuki (structural piece used for support, often diagonal) · ru скоба́ (that which holds tightly) · ru раско́с (structural piece used for support, often diagonal) · de Spanner (that which holds tightly) · tr kulaç (measure of length representing a person's outstretched arms — see also fathom, toise) · de Spanner (arrangement for producing tension) · ru распо́рка (arrangement for producing tension) · ru брас (rope for moving a yard) · it grappa (arrangement for producing tension) · it doppietta (two goals in one game) · es pareja (a pair) · it uncino (arrangement for producing tension) · de Spannband (structural piece used for support, often diagonal) · it aggancio (arrangement for producing tension) · fi kiristin (arrangement for producing tension) · bg подпора (structural piece used for support, often diagonal) · de Hosenträger (straps or bands to sustain trousers) · nl el (measure of length representing a person's outstretched arms — see also fathom, toise) · de Brasse (rope for moving a yard) · de Klammer (that which holds tightly) · ja マルチゴール (two goals in one game) · mi perehi (straps or bands to sustain trousers) · es abrazadera (that which holds tightly) · de Spange (two goals in one game) · de Versteifung (structural piece used for support, often diagonal) · de Band (structural piece used for support, often diagonal) · fi kaksi maalia (two goals in one game) · fr paire (a pair)