(obsolete) Armor for the arm; vambrace. / (obsolete) A measurement of length, originally representing a person's outstretched arms.

(transitive, intransitive) To prepare for something bad, such as an impact or blow. / To place in a position for resisting pressure; to hold firmly.

plural of brace

(orthodontics) A device worn on the teeth to straighten them. / (dated) Handcuffs.

Third-person singular simple present indicative form of brace

Either of a pair of symbols, [ ], used for various purposes, e.g. to enclose text inserted or replaced by an editor, and to indicate various mathematical operations.

(nautical) to brace the ship's yards on the opposite tack when going about

(nautical, dated) To bring the foreyards flat aback to stop the ship.

(nautical) to bring the yards in opposite directions on different masts when doing certain maneuvers

(nautical) The time taken for a sail to shake or shiver twice as a ship comes into the wind. / (idiomatic) A very short time.