brace

/breɪs/ (bre, ipa) · /breɪs/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈbrās/ (ame, mw)

brace — 名詞

1. a bar, frame, clasp, or similar part that keeps something firm, joined, or in pl

1.名詞B2
釋義

支撐架

用來固定、連接或加強結構的構件

a bar, frame, clasp, or similar part that keeps something firm, joined, or in place.

例句

A steel brace held the garden gate straight after last winter's storm.

去年冬天的暴風過後，一根鋼製支撐架把花園大門撐直了。

metal brace supporting a damaged object

Workers added wooden braces under the stage before the school concert.

工作人員在學校音樂會前，在舞台下加上了木製支撐架。

add braces under + structure

同義詞
  • support

    broader word for anything that holds weight or keeps something steady

  • strut

    usually a straight supporting bar in a frame or machine

  • bracket

    often a support fixed to a wall or corner

用法筆記

Common with physical structures, furniture, and fastenings. Distinguish from noun sense 4, which is worn on the body rather than built into an object.

常見錯誤

❌The shelf needs support in each corner.
✅The shelf needs a brace in each corner.
💡a 'brace' is the actual supporting part, not just the idea of support.

2. a wire device worn on the teeth to move them into a straighter line.

2.名詞B1
釋義

牙套

裝在牙齒上幫助排整齊的裝置

a wire device worn on the teeth to move them into a straighter line.

例句

Hana smiled carefully after the dentist tightened her braces on Monday.

牙醫星期一調緊 Hana 的牙套後，她小心地笑了笑。

tighten braces at the dentist

The boy forgot his lunch because his new braces made chewing slow.

那個男孩忘了帶午餐，因為新牙套讓他咀嚼得很慢。

同義詞

用法筆記

Usually used in the plural as 'braces' when talking about dental treatment. Distinguish from noun sense 3, which is the British clothing sense.

常見錯誤

❌She wears a brace on her teeth.
✅She wears braces.
💡this dental sense is normally plural in everyday English.

3. long straps worn over the shoulders to keep trousers from slipping down.

3.名詞B2
釋義

吊帶

掛在肩上把褲子撐住的帶子

long straps worn over the shoulders to keep trousers from slipping down.

例句

Ravi clipped his red braces onto his black trousers before the wedding.

Ravi 在婚禮前把紅色吊帶夾在黑褲子上。

clip braces onto trousers

The old photo shows Grandfather in braces and a flat cap.

那張老照片裡，Grandfather 穿著吊帶，戴著平頂帽。

同義詞

用法筆記

Mainly British English. American English usually says 'suspenders' for this clothing item.

常見錯誤

❌He bought suspenders in London
✅He bought braces in London.
💡in British English, this clothing sense is normally 'braces'.

4. a support fixed to a weak or injured leg to help a person stand or walk.

4.名詞B2
釋義

腿支具

固定腿腳、幫助站立或行走的支具

a support fixed to a weak or injured leg to help a person stand or walk.

例句

After knee surgery, Leila wore a brace during short walks.

膝蓋手術後，Leila 短程走路時都戴著腿支具。

wear a brace after surgery

The doctor fitted Yusuf with a leg brace before he left hospital.

Yusuf 出院前，醫生先替他裝上了腿支具。

fit someone with a leg brace

同義詞
  • support

    general word, but less specific than the medical device

  • orthosis

    medical term for a device that supports part of the body

用法筆記

Often named by the body part before it, as in 'leg brace', 'knee brace', or 'ankle brace'. Distinguish from noun sense 1, which supports an object rather than a person.

常見錯誤

❌The doctor gave her a support for her leg.
✅The doctor gave her a leg brace.
💡this sense names the actual medical device.

5. one of the marks { } used to group words, numbers, or other items together.

5.名詞B2
釋義

大括號

把內容視為一組的 { } 符號

one of the marks { } used to group words, numbers, or other items together.

例句

In math class, the answer inside the braces showed the set of values.

在數學課上，大括號裡的答案顯示了那一組數值。

inside the braces in maths

The code will fail if you delete the closing brace.

如果你刪掉右邊的大括號，這段程式就會出錯。

closing brace in code

同義詞

用法筆記

Often called 'curly braces' in computing. Usually used in the plural when you mean both marks together.

常見錯誤

❌Delete the last bracket
✅Delete the last brace.
💡braces are the curly marks { }, while 'bracket' can refer to other shapes.

6. a matched pair of things, especially two birds taken by a hunter.

6.名詞C2
釋義

一對；一雙

兩件同類成對的東西，尤指獵得的鳥獸

a matched pair of things, especially two birds taken by a hunter.

例句

By noon, the hunters carried a brace of ducks back to camp.

到了中午，獵人們帶著一對獵到的鴨子回到營地。

brace of + hunted birds

The cook bought a brace of birds for tonight's country dinner.

廚師買了一對鳥，準備今晚的鄉村晚餐。

同義詞
  • pair

    modern everyday word with the same basic meaning

  • couple

    common informal alternative, though less tied to hunting

用法筆記

Mostly found in older writing, hunting contexts, or set phrases like 'a brace of ducks'. It can extend to any matched pair, but that use also sounds old-fashioned.

7. a sign at the left of several lines of music showing that they are played togeth

7.名詞C2
釋義

連譜號

連接多行樂譜、表示同時演奏的記號

a sign at the left of several lines of music showing that they are played together.

例句

In the piano book, a brace links the top and bottom lines.

在那本鋼琴教材裡，連譜號把上下兩行連在一起。

brace linking two music lines

The teacher drew a brace beside both parts of the duet.

老師在二重奏的兩個聲部旁邊畫了一個連譜號。

draw a brace beside + parts

同義詞
  • bracket

    another grouping sign in written music, but not always the same shape

  • connector

    plain descriptive word rather than the technical term

用法筆記

Used in printed music, especially where one player reads more than one line at once, as in piano music. Distinguish from noun sense 7, which is the writing symbol { }.

brace — 動詞