BRACE


Meaning of BRACE in English

(~s, bracing, ~d)

1.

If you ~ yourself for something unpleasant or difficult, you prepare yourself for it.

He ~d himself for the icy plunge into the black water...

She ~d herself, as if to meet a blow.

VERB: V pron-refl for n, V pron-refl

2.

If you ~ yourself against something or ~ part of your body against it, you press against something in order to steady your body or to avoid falling.

Elaine ~d herself against the dresser and looked in the mirror...

He ~d his back against the wall.

VERB: V pron-refl against n, V n against n

3.

If you ~ your shoulders or knees, you keep them stiffly in a particular position.

He ~d his shoulders as the snow slashed across his face.

VERB: V n

4.

To ~ something means to strengthen or support it with something else.

Overhead, the lights showed the old timbers, used to ~ the roof.

VERB: V n

5.

You can refer to two things of the same kind as a ~ of that thing. The plural form is also ~.

...a ~ of bottles of Mercier Rose champagne.

...a few ~ of grouse.

N-COUNT: usu N of n

6.

A ~ is a device attached to a part of a person’s body, for example to a weak leg, in order to strengthen or support it.

She wears a neck ~.

= support

N-COUNT: oft n N

7.

A ~ is a metal device that can be fastened to a child’s teeth in order to help them grow straight.

N-COUNT

8.

Braces are a pair of straps that pass over your shoulders and fasten to your trousers at the front and back in order to stop them from falling down. (BRIT; in AM, use suspenders )

N-PLURAL

9.

Braces or curly ~s are a pair of written marks that you place around words, numbers, or parts of a computer code, for example to indicate that they are connected in some way or are separate from other parts of the writing or code. (AM; in BRIT, usually use curly brackets )

N-COUNT

Collins COBUILD.      Толковый словарь английского языка для изучающих язык Коллинз COBUILD (международная база данных языков Бирмингемского университета) .