English · Phrasal verb Attested

brace up

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Sense 1

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

To strengthen with bracing material.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

Gắn thêm vật liệu gia cố để tăng cường

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Where it’s used: Used American English

Examples

Ed wired the house, dug a basement with pick and shovel, braced it up, bricked it, and installed a furnace and a coal chute […]

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

To become more optimistic.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

Trở nên lạc quan hơn

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Sense 3

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

To strengthen (oneself), become stronger or more resilient.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

Tự tăng cường, trở nên mạnh mẽ hoặc bền bỉ hơn

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Sense 4

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

to pawn stolen goods.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

đặt cầm đồ cho hàng hóa bị đánh cắp

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)

Where it’s used: Origin British & Irish English

Sources & notes

Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.

Topics: Historical slang (1800s)

Common questions

What does “brace up” mean?

To strengthen with bracing material.

Is “brace up” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.