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brace oneself

[/breɪs wʌnˈsɛlf/]
verb
preparar-se; armarse de coragem
1. To prepare oneself mentally or physically for something difficult or unpleasant that is about to happen
You need to brace yourself for bad news.
Você precisa se preparar para más notícias.
2. To steady oneself by holding onto something to avoid falling
She braced herself against the wall as the ship rocked.
Ela se apoiou contra a parede enquanto o navio balançava.
3. To steel oneself; to gather courage or resolve
He braced himself before asking her to marry him.
Ele se armou de coragem antes de pedir-lhe em casamento.
NYC Slang
steel yourself; harden up
Synonyms
prepare oneselfsteel oneselfsteady oneselfgird oneselffortify oneself
Antonyms
relaxlet goabandon oneself

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
preparar-se; se armar de coragem
Common usage in both formal and informal contexts
Rio de Janeiro
se preparar; se armuzar
Colloquial variant sometimes used
São Paulo
preparar-se; se fortalecer
Standard usage, similar to general Brazilian
Portugal
preparar-se; encostar-se; armar-se de coragem
European Portuguese variant

Related Idioms & Phrases

brace for impact
brace for the worst
steel oneself
gird one's loins
prepare for the worst
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