brace up
B2 informal intransitive
In simple words
To tell yourself (or someone else) to be strong and not give up when facing something hard.
Literal meaning: To brace (add a physical brace or support) upward, making something stronger.
Meanings
1 B2
idiomatic
informal
To gather courage, strength, or mental resolve in preparation for something difficult.
"She braced herself up and walked into the interview room with her head held high."
2 B2 neutral
To add physical support or reinforcement to something to make it stronger.
"They braced up the old fence with extra posts before the storm arrived."
Grammar: separable
Usage notes
Can be used reflexively ('brace yourself up') or as a command to someone else ('brace up!'). Somewhat old-fashioned in tone but still understood and used, especially in British English. Also used physically — to add support to a structure.
Commonly used with
courage resolve challenge difficulty news yourself
Forms
Base
brace up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
braces up
he/she/it
Past simple
braced up
yesterday
Past participle
braced up
have + pp
-ing form
bracing up
continuous
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Synonyms
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