brace
gb/bɹˈeɪs/ us/bɹˈeɪs/
A2
English
~ 9700
Senses
0 senses
Verb
B1
action
1
prepare yourself for trouble
to get your body or mind ready for something bad or hard that will happen soon
Usage pattern:
to brace [oneself / yourself] for [something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say *"prepare yourself mentally for"* instead of using the more natural set phrase *"brace yourself for"*. Another mistake is confusing *brace* with *embrace*: *embrace* means to hug or to gladly accept something, while *brace* means to get ready for something difficult or unpleasant.
Synonyms
steel yourself (slightly more formal and dramatic; often used for very serious or painful events)
Antonyms
relax (suggests letting go of tension instead of preparing and tensing up for something hard)
Collocations
brace yourself
|brace yourself for
|brace for impact
|brace for the worst
|brace for a storm
|brace myself
Themes
emotions
|daily life
|work
|health
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- You’d better brace yourself for some bad news.
- Residents are bracing themselves for another severe storm this weekend.
- She took a deep breath and braced herself before opening the exam results.
- Investors are bracing for a sharp drop in the stock market.
- He braced himself for an angry response, but she stayed calm.
Learner examples
- Brace yourself. I have something hard to tell you.
- People in the city are bracing for heavy rain.
- He braced himself before he went into the boss’s office.
- The team braced for a very strong opponent.
- She braced herself when she saw the car coming toward her.
Noun
B1
entity
2
support device for body part
a special thing you wear to hold or support a weak or hurt part of your body, like your leg, back, or neck
Usage pattern:
a [body-part] brace
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse *brace* with *bandage*. A bandage is usually soft cloth wrapped around a body part, while a brace is often a shaped device that holds a joint or body part in place.
Synonyms
support (general word; often used in combinations like *knee support* rather than as a standalone medical term)
Antonyms
cast (a hard cover (usually plaster or fiberglass) that completely fixes a broken bone, rather than a removable support)
Collocations
knee brace
|back brace
|neck brace
|leg brace
|wear a brace
|put on a brace
Themes
health
|body
|medicine
Examples
- After the accident he had to wear a neck brace for six weeks.
- The doctor fitted her with a knee brace to stabilize the joint.
- A back brace can help reduce pain while your muscles heal.
- She took off her leg brace before going to bed.
- The clinic adjusted his ankle brace so it would be more comfortable.
Learner examples
- He wears a knee brace when he plays football.
- The woman in the car crash had a neck brace.
- My doctor gave me a back brace for my pain.
- She put on her leg brace in the morning.
- This brace helps me walk more easily.
Noun
A2
entity
3
dental device to straighten teeth
a special thing the dentist puts on your teeth to make them straight
Usage pattern:
wear braces on [one's] teeth
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use the singular *a brace* for teeth, but in modern English people almost always say *braces* when talking about dental devices: *She has braces*, not *She has a brace*.
Synonyms
orthodontic appliance (technical dental term; used by professionals rather than in everyday speech)
Antonyms
dentures (false teeth that replace missing teeth, rather than a device used to move natural teeth)
Collocations
wear braces
|get braces
|have braces
|take off braces
|fixed braces
|invisible braces
Themes
health
|body
|daily life
Examples
- She wore braces for three years in high school.
- The orthodontist said he might need braces to fix his bite.
- He finally got his braces off and loves his new smile.
- Clear braces are popular with adults who want straighter teeth.
- Braces can be uncomfortable at first, but you get used to them.
Learner examples
- My daughter has braces on her teeth.
- I will get braces next month.
- He is happy because the dentist took off his braces.
- Braces can make your teeth straight.
- Many teenagers wear braces.
Verb
B2
action
4
make firm or steady for support
to hold something or your body strong and still, often by pushing it against something, so it does not move
Usage pattern:
to brace [something / yourself] against [something]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this with the mental meaning and use *brace* without any idea of physical support, where *prepare* would be more natural. Use this sense when there is real physical pressure or force, often with *against*.
Synonyms
steady (focuses on stopping movement; *brace* adds the idea of pushing or supporting against a force)
Antonyms
loosen (to make something less firm or fixed, the opposite of securing or supporting it firmly)
Collocations
brace the door
|brace yourself against
|brace the ladder
|brace the wall
|brace his feet
|brace the roof
Themes
movement
|safety
|building
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She braced herself against the wall as the train started to move.
- They pushed a table against the door to brace it.
- He braced his feet on the floor and pulled hard on the rope.
- Workers braced the old bridge with steel beams.
- I braced the ladder so it wouldn’t slide.
Learner examples
- He braced the door with a chair.
- She braced herself against the strong wind.
- Two men braced the ladder while I climbed.
- I braced my feet on the ground.
- They braced the wall with wood.
Noun
technical
B2
entity
5
supporting piece in structure
a strong bar or piece of wood or metal that supports part of a building or object
Usage pattern:
a brace between [two parts]
Synonyms
strut (technical term used especially in engineering; similar function but more specialized vocabulary)
Antonyms
weakening (general noun for something that reduces strength, the opposite effect of adding a brace)
Collocations
wooden brace
|metal brace
|cross brace
|roof brace
|wall brace
|add a brace
Themes
building
|engineering
|tools
|housing
|work
Examples
- The carpenter installed an extra brace under the shelf.
- Steel braces were added to support the damaged wall.
- A cross brace connects the two beams for stability.
- You may need a diagonal brace to stop the frame from twisting.
- They removed a wooden brace to create more space in the attic.
Learner examples
- They put a metal brace under the table.
- The wall has two wooden braces.
- A brace holds the roof in place.
- We added a brace to make the shelf strong.
- The frame needs another brace.
Noun
technical
B2
entity
6
the punctuation mark { }
the curved sign { } that is used in maths and computer code
Usage pattern:
open brace / closing brace
Common mistake:
Learners often call these signs simply *brackets*. In computing and maths, it is useful to distinguish *braces* { }, *brackets* [ ], and *parentheses* ( ).
Synonyms
curly bracket (alternative term; more transparent for learners and common in everyday tech talk)
Antonyms
parenthesis (another punctuation mark ( ), different shape and standard uses)
Collocations
curly brace
|opening brace
|closing brace
|inside the braces
|matching braces
|brace character
Themes
technology
|education
|maths
|science
Examples
- In this programming language, each function must start and end with a brace.
- Make sure every opening brace has a matching closing brace.
- The set of numbers is written inside curly braces.
- He accidentally deleted a brace, which broke the code.
- Use braces, not brackets, in this formula.
Learner examples
- In this code, every line is inside braces.
- You must type an opening brace and a closing brace.
- The set is written between { and } braces.
- He forgot the last brace, so the program failed.
- Curly braces are common in many languages.
Noun
formal
C1
quantity
7
a pair of two things
two of the same thing spoken of together, especially animals or goals in sport
Usage pattern:
a brace of [plural noun]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think *a brace of* means "many"; it always means exactly two. In normal conversation, *two* or *a pair of* is more common.
Synonyms
pair (general everyday word for two; *brace* is more formal and often used in sports or hunting contexts)
Antonyms
single (refers to just one item, the opposite of two considered together)
Collocations
a brace of goals
|a brace of ducks
|a brace of pheasants
|score a brace
|take a brace of rabbits
|netted a brace
Themes
sports
|hunting
|numbers
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The striker scored a brace of goals in the second half.
- He came back from the hunt with a brace of pheasants.
- Johnson netted a brace as his team won 3–1.
- They reported seeing a brace of deer near the river.
- She shot a brace of rabbits before noon.
Learner examples
- He scored a brace of goals in the game.
- The hunter brought home a brace of ducks.
- The player was happy with his brace in the match.
- They saw a brace of deer in the field.
- She shot a brace of rabbits in the morning.
Noun
informal
B2
entity
8
shoulder straps for trousers
in British English, long straps over your shoulders that hold your trousers up
Usage pattern:
wear braces with [trousers]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse clothing *braces* with dental *braces*. Context usually makes the meaning clear. Also note the regional difference: British English uses *braces*; American English usually uses *suspenders* for this clothing item.
Synonyms
suspenders (the usual word in American English for the same clothing item)
Antonyms
belt (another device used to hold up trousers, worn around the waist instead of over the shoulders)
Collocations
wear braces
|clip-on braces
|elastic braces
|leather braces
|button-on braces
|trouser braces
Themes
clothing
|daily life
|daily_life
Examples
- He always wears bright red braces with his suit.
- I need new braces; these elastic ones have stretched.
- Button-on braces look smarter than clip-on ones.
- His trousers stayed up only because of a pair of strong braces.
- Braces are back in fashion with some young men.
Learner examples
- He wears blue braces with his black trousers.
- These braces clip onto the trousers.
- My grandfather always wore trousers with braces.
- She bought leather braces as a gift.
- Braces keep your trousers from falling down.
Grammar
Dictionary form
brace
IPA
GB/bɹˈeɪs/
US/bɹˈeɪs/
Syllables & stress
brace (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (brace)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: brace
- Plural: brace, braces
Verb
- Base: brace
- 3rd Person Singular: braces
- Present Participle: bracing
- Past: braced
Word family
Forms
braces
noun
bracing
verb
braced
verb
Advanced or less common
bracingly
adverb
Expressions
a brace of
1/ə bɹˈeɪs əv/
fixed phrase
formal
exactly two of something
two of the same thing, spoken of together, especially animals or goals in sport.
Examples
- He scored a brace of goals in the final.
- They returned with a brace of ducks from the lake.
- The young striker has scored a brace of winners this season.
brace for impact
1/bɹˈeɪs fɚ ˈɪmpækt/
fixed phrase
prepare for a physical collision
get your body and mind ready because a crash, hit, or very strong shock is about to happen.
Examples
- Everyone, brace for impact! shouted the pilot.
- She gripped the seat and braced for impact as the car skidded.
- The spacecraft began its descent, and the crew braced for impact.
brace oneself
1/bɹˈeɪs wˌʌnsˈɛlf/
fixed phrase
prepare yourself for difficulty
prepare yourself, usually by tensing your body or mind, before something difficult or unpleasant happens.
Examples
- He braced himself before walking onto the stage.
- She braced herself for disappointment but decided to try anyway.
- I braced myself as the roller coaster dropped.
brace position
1/bɹˈeɪs pəzˈɪʃən/
fixed phrase
technical
safety position before a crash
a special way of sitting and holding your body on a plane or other vehicle to protect yourself in a crash.
Examples
- Passengers were instructed to adopt the brace position.
- In an emergency landing, you may be told to take the brace position.
- The safety card shows how to sit in the brace position.
brace up
1/bɹˈeɪs ˈʌp/
phrasal verb
informal
make yourself stronger mentally
make an effort to feel stronger or more confident so that you can deal with something difficult.
Examples
- You need to brace up and finish the job.
- He braced up and decided to tell the truth.
- She tried to brace up before the interview started.
brace yourself
1/bɹˈeɪs jʊɹsˈɛlf/
fixed phrase
get ready for bad news
get ready in your mind and body for something that will be hard, surprising, or unpleasant.
Examples
- Brace yourself, because the next part of the story is very sad.
- Brace yourself; the boss is in a terrible mood today.
- Brace yourself, this is going to hurt a little.
brace yourself for
1/bɹˈeɪs jʊɹsˈɛlf fɚ/
fixed phrase
prepare for a specific hardship
prepare your mind and body because a particular difficult or unpleasant thing is going to happen.
Examples
- Brace yourself for some shocking statistics.
- The city is bracing itself for heavy snow this weekend.
- Brace yourself for a long wait at the airport.