Brace

Noun

 * 1) A curved instrument or handle of iron or wood, for holding and turning bits, etc.; a bitstock.
 * 2) That which holds anything tightly or supports it firmly; a bandage or a prop.
 * 3) A cord, ligament, or rod, for producing or maintaining tension
 * 4) A thong used to regulate the tension of a drum.
 * 5) A vertical curved line or "curly bracket":  {  or  }  connecting two or more words or lines, which are to be considered together, such as in ; or, in music, used to connect staves.
 * 6) A pair, a couple; originally used of dogs, and later of animals generally and then other things. (The plural in this sense is unchanged.)
 * 7) 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.
 * 8)  A rope reeved through a block at the end of a yard, by which the yard is moved horizontally; also, a rudder gudgeon.
 * 9) The mouth of a shaft.
 * 10) (usually plural) Straps or bands to sustain trousers; suspenders.
 * 11) (usually plural) A system of wires, brackets, and elastic bands used to correct crooked teeth.
 * 12)  Two goals scored by one player in a game.
 * 13)  Armor for the arm; vambrace.
 * 14)  A measurement of length, originally representing a person's outstretched arms.

Verb

 * 1) To prepare for something bad, as an impact or blow. All hands, brace for impact!
 * 2)  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
 * 3) To stop someone for questioning, usually said of police
 * 4) To confront with questions, demands or requests

Adjectives for Brace
arching; auxiliary; extended; movable; strengthening; sustaining.

Verbs for Brace
buckle on—; discard—; loosen—; regulate —; strap on—; —clasps; —connects; — holds; —pinches; —presses; —secures; — supports; —suspends; —tightens.

Related terms
brace aback; brace about; brace abox; brace by; brace in; brace sharp; brace of shakes;

Thesaurus
adhesive tape, advocate, afford support, alpenstock, animate, appeal, application, arm, athletic supporter, back, back up, backbone, backing, band, bandage, bandaging, bandeau, bar, bar line, bear, bear up, bearer, beef up, belt, bend, beseech, bind, bind up, binder, bolster, bolster up, both, bra, brace up, bracer, bracket, brassiere, brisk, brisken, buck up, buckle, bundle, buoy up, buttress, cane, carrier, carry, case harden, cast, cataplasm, catch, cervix, chain, cheer, chirk up, cinch, clamp, clasp, clip, column, compress, confirm, corset, cotton, couple, couplet, coupling, court plaster, cradle, cravat, crave, crook, crutch, cushion, degree, distich, do up, double harness, doublet, dressing, drill, duad, duet, duo, dyad, elastic bandage, enliven, entreat, epithem, exhilarate, fastener, fortify, foundation garment, four-tailed bandage, fresh up, freshen, freshen up, fulcrum, gallows, galluses, gauze, gird, girdle, girt, girth, give support, guy, guywire, hang on, harden, hold, hold on, hold up, holdfast, implore, importune, invigorate, jock, jockstrap, keep afloat, keep up, lace, lash, leash, ledger line, lend support, line, lint, mainstay, maintain, maintainer, mast, match, mates, neck, nerve, pair, perk up, pick up, pillow, plaster, plaster cast, plead, pledget, poultice, pray, prop, prop up, quicken, reanimate, recreate, refresh, refreshen, regale, reinforce, reinforcement, reinforcer, reinvigorate, renew, rest, resting place, restrengthen, revive, revivify, rigging, rigidify, roller, roller bandage, rope, rubber bandage, screw up, set of two, set up, shore, shore up, shoulder, shroud, sling, space, span, spine, splice, splint, sponge, sprit, staff, standing rigging, stave, stay, steady, steel, stick, stiffen, stiffener, stimulate, strap, strengthen, strengthener, strut, stupe, subsidize, subvention, supplicate, support, supporter, sustain, sustainer, swaddle, swathe, tampon, tape, team, temper, tense, tent, the two, tie, tie up, tighten, toughen, tourniquet, triangular bandage, trice up, truss, twain, two, twosome, underbrace, undergird, underlie, underpin, underpinning, underset, upbear, uphold, upholder, upkeep, vivify, walking stick, wire, wrap, wrap up, yoke

Etymology
From brace:, from plural of  bracchium:.