brace

That which holds anything tightly or supports it firmly; a bandage or a prop.

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.

A system of wires, brackets, and elastic bands used to correct crooked teeth or to reduce overbite.

A pair, a couple; originally used of dogs, and later of animals generally (e.g., a brace of conies) and then other things, but rarely human persons. (In British use (as plural), this is a particularly common reference to game birds.)

Two goals scored by one player in a game.

Two wickets taken with two consecutive deliveries.

[in the plural] (UK) Straps or bands to sustain trousers; suspenders.

A curved, pointed line, also known as "curly bracket": { or } connecting two or more words or lines, which are to be considered together, such as in {role, roll}; in music, used to connect staves.

A curved instrument or handle of iron or wood, for holding and turning bits, etc.; a bitstock.

A cord, ligament, or rod, for producing or maintaining tension.

A thong used to regulate the tension of a drum.

The state of being braced or tight; tension.

A rope reeved through a block at the end of a yard, by which the yard is moved horizontally; also, a rudder gudgeon.

Harness; warlike preparation.

(UK) The mouth of a shaft.

(no longer used) Armor for the arm; vambrace.

(no longer used) A measurement of length, originally representing a person's outstretched arms.

To place in a position for resisting pressure; to hold firmly.

To prepare for something bad, such as an impact or blow.

To furnish with braces; to support; to prop.

To stop someone for questioning, usually said of police.

To confront with questions, demands or requests.

To draw tight; to tighten; to put in a state of tension; to strain; to strengthen.

To bind or tie closely; to fasten tightly.

To swing round the yards of a square rigged ship, using braces, to present a more efficient sail surface to the direction of the wind.