brace

I

(New American Roget's College Thesaurus)

v. t. invigorate, stimulate; support, prop, strengthen. See refreshment. —n. bracket, stay, girder; bit, stock; pair. See strength, numeration, power.

II

(Roget's IV) n.

1. [A support]

Syn. prop, bolster, stay, support, lever, beam, truss, shore, girder, block, skid, rib, strut, buttress, splice, reinforcement, bearing, upholder, peg, bracket, strengthener, band, bracer, stave, guy, sustainer, stirrup, arm, splint, boom, bar, staff, plinth, stanchion, cantilever, rafter, round, mainstay, jack, crutch; see also beam 1 , support 2 .

2. [A pair]

Syn. pair, couple, two; see pair .

See Synonym Study at pair . v.

1. [To give support]

Syn. prop, bolster, hold up; see strengthen , support 1 .

2. [To encourage]

Syn. uphold, hearten, give New life; see encourage 1 , 2 , support 2 .

III

(Roget's 3 Superthesaurus)

I

n.

support, prop, reinforcement, strut, stay, buttress, truss, stanchion.

II

v.

reinforce, strengthen, support, prop, bolster, tighten, shore up, fortify.

IV

(Roget's Thesaurus II) I verb To prepare (oneself) for action: forearm, fortify, gird, ready, steel, strengthen. Idiom: gird (or gird up) one's loins. See PREPARED. II noun 1. A means or device that keeps something erect, stable, or secure: buttress, crutch, prop, shore, stay2, support, underpinning. See SUPPORT. 2. Two items of the same kind together: couple, couplet, doublet, duet, duo, match, pair, two, twosome, yoke. See GROUP, SAME.