brace

left brace or right brace.

Source: The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (27 SEP 03)
 

Brace \Brace\, n. [OF. brace, brasse, the two arms, embrace, fathom, F. brasse fathom, fr. L. bracchia the arms (stretched out), pl. of bracchium arm; cf. Gr. ?.]

1. That which holds anything tightly or supports it firmly; a bandage or a prop. [1913 Webster]

2. A cord, ligament, or rod, for producing or maintaining tension, as a cord on the side of a drum. [1913 Webster]

The little bones of the ear drum do in straining and relaxing it as the braces of the war drum do in that. --Derham. [1913 Webster]

3. The state of being braced or tight; tension. [1913 Webster]

The laxness of the tympanum, when it has lost its brace or tension. --Holder. [1913 Webster]

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. [1913 Webster]

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. [1913 Webster]

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. [1913 Webster]

7. (Mech.) A curved instrument or handle of iron or wood, for holding and turning bits, etc.; a bitstock. [1913 Webster]

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. [1913 Webster]

He is said to have shot . . . fifty brace of pheasants. --Addison. [1913 Webster]

A brace of brethren, both bishops, both eminent for learning and religion, now appeared in the church. --Fuller. [1913 Webster]

But you, my brace of lords. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

9. pl. Straps or bands to sustain trousers; suspenders. [1913 Webster]

I embroidered for you a beautiful pair of braces. --Thackeray. [1913 Webster]

10. Harness; warlike preparation. [Obs.]

[1913 Webster]

For that it stands not in such warlike brace. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

12. (Mining) The mouth of a shaft. [Cornwall] [1913 Webster]

Angle brace. See under Angle. [1913 Webster]

Source: The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
 

Brace \Brace\, v. 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. [1913 Webster]

2. To draw tight; to tighten; to put in a state of tension; to strain; to strengthen; as, to brace the nerves. [1913 Webster]

And welcome war to brace her drums. --Campbell. [1913 Webster]

3. To bind or tie closely; to fasten tightly. [1913 Webster]

The women of China, by bracing and binding them from their infancy, have very little feet. --Locke. [1913 Webster]

Some who spurs had first braced on. --Sir W. Scott. [1913 Webster]

4. To place in a position for resisting pressure; to hold firmly; as, he braced himself against the crowd. [1913 Webster]

A sturdy lance in his right hand he braced. --Fairfax. [1913 Webster]

5. (Naut.) To move around by means of braces; as, to brace the yards. [1913 Webster]

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. [1913 Webster]

Source: The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
 

Brace \Brace\, v. i. To get tone or vigor; to rouse one's energies; -- with up. [Colloq.]

[1913 Webster]

Source: The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
 

245 Moby Thesaurus words for "brace": Ace bandage, Band-Aid, adhesive tape, advocate, afford support, alpenstock, animate, appeal, application, arm, athletic supporter, back, back up, backbone, backing, band, bandage, bandaging, bandeau, bar, bar line, bear, bear up, bearer, beef up, belt, bend, beseech, bind, bind up, binder, bolster, bolster up, both, bra, brace up, bracer, bracket, brassiere, brisk, brisken, buck up, buckle, bundle, buoy up, buttress, cane, carrier, carry, case harden, cast, cataplasm, catch, cervix, chain, cheer, chirk up, cinch, clamp, clasp, clip, column, compress, confirm, corset, cotton, couple, couplet, coupling, court plaster, cradle, cravat, crave, crook, crutch, cushion, degree, distich, do up, double harness, doublet, dressing, drill, duad, duet, duo, dyad, elastic bandage, enliven, entreat, epithem, exhilarate, fastener, fortify, foundation garment, four-tailed bandage, fresh up, freshen, freshen up, fulcrum, gallows, galluses, gauze, gird, girdle, girt, girth, give support, guy, guywire, hang on, harden, hold, hold on, hold up, holdfast, implore, importune, invigorate, jock, jockstrap, keep afloat, keep up, lace, lash, leash, ledger line, lend support, line, lint, mainstay, maintain, maintainer, mast, match, mates, neck, nerve, pair, perk up, pick up, pillow, plaster, plaster cast, plead, pledget, poultice, pray, prop, prop up, quicken, reanimate, recreate, refresh, refreshen, regale, reinforce, reinforcement, reinforcer, reinvigorate, renew, rest, resting place, restrengthen, revive, revivify, rigging, rigidify, roller, roller bandage, rope, rubber bandage, screw up, set of two, set up, shore, shore up, shoulder, shroud, sling, space, span, spine, splice, splint, sponge, sprit, staff, standing rigging, stave, stay, steady, steel, stick, stiffen, stiffener, stimulate, strap, strengthen, strengthener, strut, stupe, subsidize, subvention, supplicate, support, supporter, sustain, sustainer, swaddle, swathe, tampon, tape, team, temper, tense, tent, the two, tie, tie up, tighten, toughen, tourniquet, triangular bandage, trice up, truss, twain, two, twosome, underbrace, undergird, underlie, underpin, underpinning, underset, upbear, uphold, upholder, upkeep, vivify, walking stick, wire, wrap, wrap up, yoke

Source: Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0
 

brace

Source: WordNet (r) 2.0
 

Brace \Brace\, n. [OF. brace, brasse, the two arms, embrace, fathom, F. brasse fathom, fr. L. bracchia the arms (stretched out), pl. of bracchium arm; cf. Gr. ?.]

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. --Shak.

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. --Shak.

12. (Mining) The mouth of a shaft. [Cornwall]

Angle brace. See under Angle.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

Brace \Brace\, v. 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.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

Brace \Brace\, v. i. To get tone or vigor; to rouse one's energies; -- with up. [Colloq.]

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)