"brace" as noun
1 - Armor for the arm; vambrace.
2 - A measurement of length, originally representing a person's outstretched arms.
3 - A curved instrument or handle of iron or wood, for holding and turning bits, etc.; a bitstock.
"brace" as verb
1 - To prepare for something bad, such as an impact or blow.
2 - To place in a position for resisting pressure; to hold firmly.
3 - To swing round the yards of a square rigged ship, using braces, to present a more efficient sail surface to the direction of the wind.
