brace
To prepare oneself for something difficult, unpleasant, or challenging that is about to happen. It can also mean to physically support or strengthen something to prevent it from moving or collapsing.
Exemples
3 sur 5I had to brace myself against the door to keep it from blowing open in the wind.
I had to brace myself against the door to keep it from blowing open in the wind.
The government warned citizens to brace for a period of significant economic austerity.
The government warned citizens to brace for a period of significant economic austerity.
Brace yourself, because you are not going to believe what happened at the party!
Brace yourself, because you are not going to believe what happened at the party!
Famille de mots
Astuce mémo
Think of 'braces' on teeth: they support and hold the teeth in place to prepare them for a perfect smile. To brace is to hold tight and get ready.
Quiz rapide
The coastal residents were told to _______ for the arrival of the hurricane.
Correct !
La bonne réponse est : brace
Exemples
I had to brace myself against the door to keep it from blowing open in the wind.
everydayI had to brace myself against the door to keep it from blowing open in the wind.
The government warned citizens to brace for a period of significant economic austerity.
formalThe government warned citizens to brace for a period of significant economic austerity.
Brace yourself, because you are not going to believe what happened at the party!
informalBrace yourself, because you are not going to believe what happened at the party!
Architects must ensure the internal structure is braced against seismic activity.
academicArchitects must ensure the internal structure is braced against seismic activity.
The corporation is bracing for a hostile takeover bid from its main competitor.
businessThe corporation is bracing for a hostile takeover bid from its main competitor.
Famille de mots
Collocations courantes
Phrases Courantes
brace yourself for something
prepare yourself for something
brace for the impact
prepare for a physical or metaphorical hit
brace for the storm
prepare for upcoming trouble
Souvent confondu avec
Embrace means to hug or accept something enthusiastically, whereas brace means to prepare for something difficult.
A bracket is a punctuation mark or a support for a shelf, but brace as a verb focuses on the act of strengthening or preparing.
Notes d'usage
When used mentally, it is almost always reflexive (brace yourself) or used with the preposition 'for'. When used physically, it often involves the preposition 'against'.
Erreurs courantes
Learners often forget the preposition 'for' when using the verb to mean preparation; they might say 'brace the impact' instead of 'brace for the impact'.
Astuce mémo
Think of 'braces' on teeth: they support and hold the teeth in place to prepare them for a perfect smile. To brace is to hold tight and get ready.
Origine du mot
Derived from the Old French 'brace' meaning 'arms', referring to the distance between two arms or the act of clasping with the arms.
Modèles grammaticaux
Quiz rapide
The coastal residents were told to _______ for the arrival of the hurricane.
Correct !
La bonne réponse est : brace
Grammaire lie
Expressions liées
Vocabulaire associé
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