Brave \Brave\ (br[=a]v), a. [Compar. Braver; superl. Bravest.]

[F. brave, It. or Sp. bravo, (orig.) fierce, wild, savage, prob. from. L. barbarus. See Barbarous, and cf. Bravo.]

1. Bold; courageous; daring; intrepid; -- opposed to cowardly; as, a brave man; a brave act.

2. Having any sort of superiority or excellence; -- especially such as in conspicuous. [Obs. or Archaic as applied to material things.]

Iron is a brave commodity where wood aboundeth. --Bacon.

It being a brave day, I walked to Whitehall. --Pepys.

3. Making a fine show or display. [Archaic]

Wear my dagger with the braver grace. --Shak.

For I have gold, and therefore will be brave. In silks I'll rattle it of every color. --Robert Greene.

Frog and lizard in holiday coats And turtle brave in his golden spots. --Emerson.

Syn: Courageous; gallant; daring; valiant; valorous; bold; heroic; intrepid; fearless; dauntless; magnanimous; high-spirited; stout-hearted. See Gallant.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

Brave \Brave\, n.

1. A brave person; one who is daring.

The star-spangled banner, O,long may it wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave. --F. S. Key.

2. Specifically, an Indian warrior.

3. A man daring beyond discretion; a bully.

Hot braves like thee may fight. --Dryden.

4. A challenge; a defiance; bravado. [Obs.]

Demetrius, thou dost overween in all; And so in this, to bear me down with braves. --Shak.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

Brave \Brave\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Braved (br[=a]vd); p. pr. & vb. n. Braving.]

1. To encounter with courage and fortitude; to set at defiance; to defy; to dare.

These I can brave, but those I can not bear. --Dryden.

2. To adorn; to make fine or showy. [Obs.]

Thou [a tailor whom Grunio was browbeating] hast braved meny men; brave not me; I'll neither be faced or braved. --Shak.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)