1. a device fitted to something, in particular a weak or injured part of the body, to give support:

(けがをした部分を固める)固定具, 支持器 〘医〙

e.g. a neck brace.

a strengthening piece of iron or timber used in building or carpentry.

支持［保持］する物, 補強材, つっぱり, 支柱

(also braces) a wire device fitted in the mouth to straighten the teeth.

歯列矯正器(具) (!｟米｠ では～s) ; ｟米｠ ; 〖通例～s〗 (弱った足に着ける)金属製添え木(｟英｠ callipers)

a tool in carpentry having a crank handle and a socket to hold a bit for boring.

a rope leading aft from each yardarm, used for trimming the sail.

2. (braces) British a pair of straps that pass over the shoulders and fasten to the waistband of a pair of trousers or a skirt at the front and back to hold it up; suspenders.

｟英｠ ; 〖～s〗 ズボンつり(｟米｠ suspenders)

3. (plural same) a pair of something, typically of birds or mammals killed in hunting:

｟主に英･やや古｠ (ウサギ･キジなど狩猟用鳥獣の)1対, 1つがい(pair, couple)

e.g. thirty brace of grouse.

4. Printing either of the two marks { and }, used either to indicate that two or more items on one side have the same relationship as each other to the single item to which the other side points, or in pairs to show that words between them are connected.

〖通例～s〗 中かっこ〘{ }〙(curly bracket)

Music the mark {, used to join staves that are to be performed at the same time.

〘楽〙 ブレース〘2つ以上の五線をつなぐかっこ〙

verb with object

make (a structure) stronger or firmer with wood, iron, or other forms of support:

〈物〉を支える, 補強する

e.g. the posts were braced by lengths of timber.

press (one's body or part of one's body) firmly against something in order to stay balanced:

(締めつけて)…を強固にする; 〈弓など〉をぴんと張る

e.g. she braced her feet against a projecting shelf

e.g. he stood with legs braced.

prepare (someone or oneself) for something difficult or unpleasant:

〖brace oneself(for A)〗 (A〈事〉に対して)覚悟する, 備える; 〖brace oneself to do〗 …する覚悟を決める; 〖be braced for A〗 A〈事〉への備えができている

e.g. both stations are bracing themselves for job losses

e.g. police are braced for a traffic nightmare.

be strong or courageous:

e.g. she was about to tell him to brace up.

Middle English (as a verb meaning ‘clasp, fasten tightly’): from Old French bracier ‘embrace’, from brace ‘two arms’, from Latin bracchia, plural of bracchium ‘arm’, from Greek brakhiōn.