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 state of being braced or tight; tension.-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 be taken together; thus, boll, bowl; or, in music, used to connect staves.-a rope reeved through a block at the end of a yard, by which the yard is moved horizontally; also, a rudder gudgeon.-a curved instrument or handle of iron or wood, for holding and turning bits, etc.; a bitstock.-a pair; a couple; as, a brace of ducks; now rarely applied to persons, except familiarly or with some contempt.-straps or bands to sustain trousers; suspenders.-harness; warlike preparation.-armor for the arm; vantbrace.-the mouth of a shaft.-to furnish with braces; to support; to prop; as, to brace a beam in a building.-to draw tight; to tighten; to put in a state of tension; to strain; to strengthen; as, to brace the nerves.-to bind or tie closely; to fasten tightly.-to place in a position for resisting pressure; to hold firmly; as, he braced himself against the crowd.-to move around by means of braces; as, to brace the yards.-to get tone or vigor; to rouse one's energies; -- with up.