brace

/breɪs/
noun
  1. A device that holds things together or supports something, often used for medical or mechanical purposes.
    • He wore a neck brace for weeks after the car accident.
    • The doctor fitted a brace on my knee after the injury.
    • The carpenter used a metal brace to strengthen the old wooden shelf.
  2. A pair of something, especially game birds or animals.
    • A brace of rabbits hung from his belt.
    • She bought a brace of ducks for the dinner party.
    • The hunter returned with a brace of pheasants.
  3. A handle or support that steadies a tool, such as a drill.
    • He turned the brace slowly to drill a hole in the wood.
    • She used a brace to hold the screwdriver steady.
    • The old brace had a worn wooden handle.
  4. A curved line { or } used in writing or printing to group items together.
    • The editor asked me to add a brace around the list of items.
    • She used a brace to show the two options were related.
    • In the code, each block is enclosed in curly braces.
Synonyms
verb
  1. To prepare yourself physically or mentally for something difficult or unpleasant.
    • The team braced for a tough game against the champions.
    • She braced herself for the bad news.
    • He braced his legs against the wall to keep from falling.
  2. To support or strengthen something with a brace or by pressing against it.
    • He braced the ladder against the house to make it stable.
    • They braced the fence with extra posts before the storm.
    • The workers braced the roof beams with steel plates.
Antonyms
What does "brace" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean