brace
UK[breɪs]US[breɪs]
v
To prepare yourself for something difficult or unpleasant
v
To make your body or part of your body stiff and steady in order to prepare to do something difficult
v
To support an object with a piece of wood, metal, etc. to make it stronger or more stable
n
A device that supports a part of the body, often to correct a medical problem
n
A pair of things, especially birds or animals that have been killed for sport or food
n
Either of the two marks { and } used in writing and printing
Etymology
The journey of 'brace' begins with the Ancient Greek word 'βραχίων' (brakhíōn), meaning "arm". This term was adopted into Latin as 'bracchium', retaining the core meaning of the limb. From Latin, it passed into Old French, where the form 'brace' came to signify "the two arms", a pair taken together. This concept of a pair or a coupling is the logical bridge to the modern English meanings, which evolved from the literal sense of two arms encircling or supporting something to encompass any device that clamps, supports, or steadies, as well as the abstract idea of preparing oneself (as if to firmly grasp a challenge) and the grammatical symbols that enclose text.
Analysis
The word 'brace' is a simplex word. It entered Middle English from Old French 'brace' or 'bracier', meaning "the two arms", itself from Latin 'bracchia', the plural of 'bracchium' meaning "arm". The ultimate origin is the Ancient Greek 'βραχίων' (brakhíōn), also meaning "arm".
Examples
The passengers were told to brace for a bumpy landing.
He had to wear a brace on his knee after the surgery.
She braced herself against the strong wind.