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The handle or contrivance by which bits are held in boring; a bitstock; a brace.

To squeeze; to press closely. Evander with a close embrace Strained his departing friend. Dryden.

A narrow crosspiece of the bottom of a boat against which a rower braces his feet.

Strained; drawn close; tight; as, a strict embrace; a strict ligature. Dryden.

piece of a frame which resists thrust or pressure in the direction of its own length. See Brace, and Illust. of Frame, and Roof.

An iron brace across the shorter diameter of the link of a chain cable. Stud bolt, a bolt with threads on both ends, to be screwed permanently into a fixed part at one end and receive a nut upon the other; -- called also standing bolt.

One who, or that which, suspends; esp., one of a pair of straps or braces worn over the shoulders, for holding up the trousers.

To receive or embrace, as opinions or belief, without examination or scruple; to receive implicitly. Though that story . . . be not so readily swallowed. Sir T. Browne.

o mount and ride a horse. -- To take in. (a) To inclose; to fence. (b) To encompass or embrace; to comprise; to comprehend. (c) To draw into a smaller compass; to contract; to brail or furl; as, to take in sail. (d) To cheat; to circumvent; to gull; to deceive. [Colloq.] (e) To admit; to receive; as, a leaky vessel wi…

prevailing opinions, fashions, or occasions; a trimmer. A sort of temporizers, ready to embrace and maintain all that is, or shall be, proposed, in hope of preferment. Burton.

electrical potential. It varies as the quantity of electricity upon a given area. Tension brace, or Tension member (Engin.), a brace or member designed to resist tension, or subjected to tension, in a structure. -- Tension rod (Engin.), an iron rod used as a tension member to strengthen timber or metal framework, roof…

the end secured by nails driven obliquely, said of a board, plank, or joist serving as a brace, and in general of any part of a frame secured to other parts by diagonal nailing.

or pertaining to, the third spars in order from the deck; as, the topgallant mast, yards, braces, and the like. See Illustration of Ship.

ittle won That he who conquers is but last undone. Dryden. To traverse a yard (Naut.), to brace it fore and aft.

To strengthen or stiffen, as a beam or girder, by means of a brace or braces.

To wind about; to embrace; to entwine. Let wreaths of triumph now my temples twine. Pope.

The division of mankind which embraces the races having woolly or crispy hair. Cf. Leiotrichi.

A generic term, or a term applicable in the same sense to all the species it embraces.

Being toward the wind, or windward -- opposed to lee; as, weather bow, weather braces, weather gauge, weather lifts, weather quarter, weather shrouds, etc. Weather gauge. (a) (Naut.) The position of a ship to the windward of another. (b) Fig.: A position of advantage or superiority; advantage in position. To veer, and…

who serve in the state. Addison. Who cheapens life, abates the fear of death. Young. The brace of large greyhounds, who were the companions of his sports. Sir W. Scott.