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(), 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 conne 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 Brace v. i.To get tone or vigor; to rouse one's energies; -- with up. [Colloq.] スポンサード リンク
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