noun

1. Armor for the arm; vambrace.

2. A measurement of length, originally representing a person's outstretched arms.

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

Synonyms: fathom, dyad, twosome

verb

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

   “All hands, brace for impact!”

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

   “He braced himself against the crowd.”

3. 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.

   “to brace the yards”