1PREPARE[transitiveT] to mentally or physically prepare yourself or someone else for something unpleasant that is going to happen 准备迎接〔令人不快的事〕
brace yourself (for something)
Nancy braced herself for the inevitable arguments.
南希为这场无法避免的争论作好了准备。
The military needs to brace itself for further spending cuts, says McCoy.
麦科伊称,军方需要做好再次削减开支的准备。
brace yourself to do something
Cathy braced herself to see Matthew, who she expected to arrive at any minute.
凯茜打起精神准备见马修,他随时可能到来。
be braced for something
The base was braced for an attack.
基地已经准备好应付进攻。
2PUSH[transitiveT] to push part of your body against something solid in order to make yourself more steady 抵住,顶住,使稳住
brace something against something
Gina braced her back against the wall and pushed as hard as she could.
吉娜后背抵住墙,尽最大力气来推。
brace yourself (for something)
The pilot told passengers and crew to brace themselves for a rough landing.
飞行员叫乘客和机组人员坐稳,准备硬着陆。
3STRONG OBJECTSTRONG PERSON[transitiveT] to make something stronger by supporting it 支撑;加固
Wait until we’ve braced the ladder.
等我们把梯子支撑住再说。
Workers used steel beams to brace the roof.
工人用钢梁支撑屋顶。
4.HARD[intransitiveI, transitiveT] to make your body or part of your body stiff in order to prepare to do something difficult (使)〔身体或身体某部位〕绷紧,(使)鼓足力气
Examples from the Corpus
brace• The question was like a blow, causing Roz to brace herself against the sofa.• Each time an elderly man approached, he braced himself for it to be Stillman.• Guytensed the instant she moved, as though bracing himself for resistance.• Alex braced his arms and pushed the car out of the road.• Patrick braced his head against the rest just as the crash came.• However, if you insist on sawing the post in place, brace it firmly.• Now I get my rifleready and brace myself, making sure of my footing.• The building uses steel poles to brace the roof.
be braced for something• This time many were braced forheavylosses again.
brace yourself (for something)• As Mrs Aitken left, Shiona braced herself.• I had to brace myself against the side to keep from getting sucked into the overheatedpit he created with his body.• I braced myself against the wall.• The ice beneath him gave; he braced himself, and slid slowly into the muddylake up to his neck.• I brace myself as he shoots.• Now she should brace herself for a shock.• She braced herself to outface him.
1SUPPORT[countableC] something that is used to strengthen or support something, or to make it stiff 支架,托架
The miners used special braces to keep the walls from collapsing.
矿工用特殊的支架撑住墙体,以免倒塌。
neck/back/knee brace (=a brace that supports the neck etc) 颈箍/背部夹板/膝部护具
He was being fitted for a back brace.
他在试背部夹板。
She had to wear a brace after the accident.
出事以后她只得使用支架。
2.TEETH[countableC] (also braces [plural]) a system of metalwires that people, usually children, wear on their teeth to make them growstraight 牙箍〔一般为儿童使用〕
3.[countableC usually plural]American EnglishAmE a metal support that someone with weaklegs wears to help them walk 〔装在腿上帮助腿力弱者行走的〕金属支架,双脚规形夹SYN British English callipers
5.PRINTED SIGNSLA[countableC] one of a pair of signs { } used to show that information written between them should be considered together 大括弧,大括号 → bracket
6a brace of somethingespecially British EnglishBrEDLO two things of the same type, especially two birds or animals that have been killed for food or sport 一对某物,一双某物〔尤指鸟、兽等猎物〕
a brace of partridge
一对猎获的山鹑
Examples from the Corpus
a brace of something• And how about a brace ofgrouse for ourselves?• I took creditcards, and keys, and a brace ofshirts.• It concerned a pair ofboots and a brace of rabbits.• Suppose I have a brace ofelectrons.• Firstly, there's a brace ofballads.• Bruce Dyer celebrated his new contract with a brace ofgoals for the Tykes.• Would Jobbernole return with a brace ofmale servitors, throw her into a sack and thereafter into the River Carrow?
Examples from the Corpus
brace• The steel beamserves as a brace for the ceiling.• Many Clutton players and supporters were still stunned by Royston Marley's brilliantbrace of goals as they boarded the bus home.• Several children in this group needed a fullbrace in order to be able to stand.• I shift down the bench to make room for a girl with a kneebrace.• She exercised constantly, even when it hurt, and she eventually was able to walk without a leg brace.• McInerney swam over to the co-pilot and put a neck brace on him.• Diane had to wear a neck brace for eight weeks after the accident.• She bore the sliding brace of a credit-card franker.• Once on the brace, he thought that was as far as he could go.• A dozen suited men were fastening the edges of the insulator to the brace of the frame.
wear ... brace• He wore a brace on the knee last season and caught 41 passes and scored two touchdowns.• By 40, I wore a brace on my left leg and used a motorized scooter to cover all but short distances.• He told us she might need to wear a brace to correct it.
Originbrace2
(1300-1400)Old French“two arms”, from Latinbracchia, from bracchium“arm”