Brace (?), n. [OF. brace, brasse, the two arms, embrace, fathom,
F. brasse fathom, fr. L. bracchia the arms (stretched out), pl.
of bracchium arm; cf. Gr. .] That which holds anything tightly
or supports it firmly; a bandage or a prop. A cord, ligament, or
rod, for producing or maintaining tension, as a cord on the side
of a drum. The little bones of the ear drum do in straining and
relaxing it as the braces of the war drum do in that. The state
of being braced or tight; tension. The laxness of the tympanum,
when it has lost its brace or tension. 4. Arch. & Engin. 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
vertical curved line connecting two or more words or lines,
which are to b