# brace up

CEFR C1 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/brace-up
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

to make yourself feel stronger or more confident, especially before doing something difficult.

For teachers: to summon one's courage or resolve; to prepare oneself mentally or physically for a challenging situation.

## Examples

- You need to brace up before the big interview.
- He took a deep breath to brace up before entering the room to deliver the bad news.
- The captain urged his crew to brace up as the vessel approached the eye of the storm.

## Pitfalls

- Not "He braced up himself." but "He braced himself up." — when used with a pronoun, the pronoun usually comes between the verb and the particle.

## Usage notes

- often used as an imperative or with a reflexive sense of gathering one's strength.
- Teaching tip: this is less common than 'brace yourself' and carries a slightly more old-fashioned or British tone of 'stiffening' one's resolve.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.