n. & v.
n. 1 a right-angled or other support attached to and projecting from a vertical surface. 2 a shelf fixed with such a support to a wall. 3 each of a pair of marks () [ ] {} used to enclose words or figures. 4 a group classified as containing similar elements or falling between given limits (income bracket). 5 Mil. the distance between two artillery shots fired either side of the target to establish range.
v.tr. (bracketed, bracketing) 1 a couple (names etc.) with a brace. b imply a connection or equality between. 2 a enclose in brackets as parenthetic or spurious. b Math. enclose in brackets as having specific relations to what precedes or follows. 3 Mil. establish the range of (a target) by firing two preliminary shots one short of and the other beyond it.
[ F braguette or Sp. bragueta codpiece, dimin. of F brague f. Prov. braga f. L braca, pl. bracae breeches ]