Brave

• POS: Adjective, Noun, Verb (transitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

Brave, a. [F. brave, It. or Sp. bravo, (orig.) fierce, wild, savage, prob. from. L. barbarus. See Barbarous, and cf. Bravo.].

•  Bold; courageous; daring; intrepid; -- opposed to cowardly; as, a brave man; a brave act.  [1913 Webster]
•  Having any sort of superiority or excellence; -- especially such as in conspicuous.  [1913 Webster]

  "Iron is a brave commodity where wood aboundeth."  [1913 Webster]

  "It being a brave day, I walked to Whitehall."  [1913 Webster]
•  Making a fine show or display.  [1913 Webster]

  "Wear my dagger with the braver grace."  [1913 Webster]

  "For I have gold, and therefore will be brave.
  In silks I'll rattle it of every color."  [1913 Webster]

  "Frog and lizard in holiday coats
  And turtle brave in his golden spots."  [1913 Webster]

Syn. -- Courageous; gallant; daring; valiant; valorous; bold; heroic; intrepid; fearless; dauntless; magnanimous; high-spirited; stout-hearted. See Gallant.

Brave, n. 

•  A brave person; one who is daring.  [1913 Webster]

  "The star-spangled banner, O,long may it wave
  O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave."  [1913 Webster]
•  Specifically, an Indian warrior.  [1913 Webster]
•  A man daring beyond discretion; a bully.  [1913 Webster]

  "Hot braves like thee may fight."  [1913 Webster]
•  A challenge; a defiance; bravado.  [1913 Webster]

  "Demetrius, thou dost overween in all;
  And so in this, to bear me down with braves."  [1913 Webster]

Brave, v. t. 

•  To encounter with courage and fortitude; to set at defiance; to defy; to dare.  [1913 Webster]

  "These I can brave, but those I can not bear."  [1913 Webster]
•  To adorn; to make fine or showy.  [1913 Webster]

  "Thou [a tailor whom Grunio was browbeating] hast braved meny men; brave not me; I'll neither be faced or braved."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Brave, adj., n., & v.
--adj.
1 able or ready to face and endure danger or pain.
2 formal splendid, spectacular (make a brave show).
--n. an American Indian warrior.
--v.tr. defy; encounter bravely.

Idiom

brave it out behave defiantly under suspicion or blame.

Derivative

bravely adv. braveness n.

Etymology

ME f. F, ult. f. L barbarus BARBAROUS

THESAURUS

Brave

Achilles, Amazon, David, Hector, Roland, Samson, a man, abide, abide with, advantageous, affront, air serviceman, audacious, aweless, baffle, balk, banter, bear, bear with, beard, bell the cat, beneficial, bid defiance, bide, bite the bullet, blast, bold, bold-spirited, bravura, braw, brazen, brazen out, breast, bright, bring before, bring forward, bring up, brook, bulldog, call out, cannon fodder, challenge, chance, checkmate, chichi, chivalric, chivalrous, chutzpanik, circumvent, colorful, colory, confident, confound, confront, confront with, contravene, counter, counteract, countermand, counterwork, courageous, court destruction, cross, dare, daring, dash, dashing, dauntless, decorated hero, defeat, defiant, defy, defy danger, demigod, demigoddess, destroy, discomfit, disconcert, discountenance, dish, disrupt, double-dare, doughty, dressy, elude, encounter, endure, envisage, exhibitionistic, face, face out, face the music, face up, face up to, face with, favorable, favoring, fearless, fighting cock, fighting man, fine, flashing, flashy, flaunting, flummox, foil, food for powder, forget the odds, frilly, front, frothy, frustrate, gallant, gamble, game, gamecock, gay, glittering, good soldier, grand, greathearted, gritty, gutsy, halberdier, handsome, hang in, hang in there, hang tough, hardy, hazard, helpful, hero, heroic, heroine, herolike, hoplite, indomitable, intrepid, ironhearted, jaunty, jazzy, knightlike, knightly, knock the chocks, lay before, legionary, lion, lionhearted, lump, lump it, macho, man of courage, man-at-arms, manful, manly, meet, meet boldly, meet head-on, meet squarely, mettlesome, military man, navy man, noble, nonplus, outdare, outface, paladin, perplex, persevere, pikeman, place before, play with fire, plucky, present to, propitious, put it to, put up with, rakish, resolute, rifle, rifleman, risk, ruin, run the chance, run the gauntlet, run the risk, sabotage, scotch, scream defiance, serviceman, set at defiance, set before, show fight, showy, smart, snazzy, soldier, soldierlike, soldierly, speak out, speak up, spearman, spectacular, spike, spirited, splashy, splendid, splurgy, spoil, sporty, spunky, stalwart, stand, stand for, stand up to, stare down, staunch, steadfast, stem, stick, stonewall, stout, stouthearted, stump, suffer, support, sustain, take a chance, take chances, take up with, tempt Providence, the brave, thwart, tiger, tolerate, toward, unafraid, unapprehensive, unblenching, undaunted, undismayed, unfearful, unfearing, unflinching, unfrightened, unshrinking, unswerving, unyielding, upset, useful, valiant, valiant knight, valorous, venture, venturesome, vivid, warrior, warrioress

ROGET THESAURUS

Brave

Health

N health, sanity, soundness, vigor, good health, perfect health, excellent health, rude health, robust health, bloom, mens sana in corpore sano, Hygeia, incorruption, incorruptibility, good state of health, clean bill of health, eupepsia, euphoria, euphory, St. Anthony's fire, healthy, healthful, in health, well, sound, hearty, hale, fresh, green, whole, florid, flush, hardy, stanch, staunch, brave, robust, vigorous, weatherproof, unscathed, uninjured, unmaimed, unmarred, untainted, sound of wind and limb, safe and sound, on one's legs, sound as a roach, sound as a bell, fresh as a daisy, fresh as a rose, fresh as April, hearty as a buck, in fine feather, in high feather, in good case, in full bloom, pretty bobbish, tolerably well, as well as can be expected, sanitary sanatory, health that snuffs the morning air, non est vivere sed valere vita.

Defiance

VB defy, dare, beard, brave, bid defiance to, set at defiance, set at naught, hurl defiance at, dance the war dance, beat the war drums, snap the fingers at, laugh to scorn, disobey, show fight, show one's teeth, show a bold front, bluster, look big, stand akimbo, beat one's chest, double the fist, shake the fist, threaten, challenge, call out, throw down the gauntlet, fling down the gauntlet, fling down the gage, fling down the glove, throw down the glove.

Combatant

N combatant, disputant, controversialist, polemic, litigant, belligerent, competitor, rival, corrival, fighter, assailant, champion, Paladin, mosstrooper, swashbuckler fire eater, duelist, bully, bludgeon man, rough, prize fighter, pugilist, boxer, bruiser, the fancy, gladiator, athlete, wrestler, fighting-cock, game-cock, warrior, soldier, fighting man, Amazon, man at arms, armigerent, campaigner, veteran, swordsman, sabreur, redcoat, military man, Rajput, armed force, troops, soldiery, military forces, sabaoth, the army, standing army, regulars, the line, troops of the line, militia, yeomanry, volunteers, trainband, fencible, auxiliary, bersagliere, brave, garde-nationale, garde-royale, minuteman, auxiliary forces, reserve forces, reserves, posse comitatus, national guard, gendarme, beefeater, guards, guardsman, yeomen of the guard, life guards, household troops, janissary, myrmidon, Mama, Mameluke, spahee, spahi, Cossack, Croat, Pandoz, irregular, guerilla, partisan, condottiere, franctireur, tirailleur, bashi-bazouk, vietminh, vietcong, shining path, contras, huk, hukbalahap, mercenary, soldier of fortune, hired gun, gunfighter, gunslinger, bushwhacker, free lance, companion, Hessian, hit man torpedo, soldier, levy, draught, Landwehr, Landsturm, conscript, recruit, cadet, raw levies, infantry, infantryman, private, private soldier, foot soldier, Tommy Atkins, rank and file, peon, trooper, sepoy, legionnaire, legionary, cannon fodder, food for powder, officer, subaltern, ensign, standard bearer, spearman, pikeman, spear bearer, halberdier, lancer, musketeer, carabineer, rifleman, jager, sharpshooter, yager, skirmisher, grenadier, fusileer, archer, bowman, horse and foot, horse soldier, cavalry, horse, artillery, horse artillery, light horse, voltigeur, uhlan, mounted rifles, dragoon, hussar, light dragoon, heavy dragoon, heavy, cuirassier, Foot Guards, Horse Guards, gunner, cannoneer, bombardier, artilleryman, matross, sapper, sapper and miner, engineer, light infantry, rifles, chasseur, zouave, military train, coolie, army, corps d'armee, host, division, battalia, column, wing, detachment, garrison, flying column, brigade, regiment, corps, battalion, sotnia, squadron, company, platoon, battery, subdivision, section, squad, piquet, picket, guard, rank, file, legion, phalanx, cohort, cloud of skirmishers, war horse, charger, destrier, marine, man-of-war's man, navy, wooden walls, naval forces, fleet, flotilla, armada, squadron, man-of-war, destroyer, submarine, minesweeper, torpedo-boat, torpedo-destroyer, patrol torpedo boat, PT boat, torpedo- catcher, war castle, H, M, S, battleship, battle wagon, dreadnought, line of battle ship, ship of the line, aircraft carrier, carrier, flattop, helicopter carrier, missile platform, missile boat, ironclad, turret ship, ram, monitor, floating battery, first- rate, frigate, sloop of war, corvette, gunboat, bomb vessel, flagship, guard ship, cruiser, armored cruiser, protected cruiser, privateer, tender, store ship, troop ship, transport, catamaran, merchant marine.

Feeling

VB feel, receive an impression, be impressed with, entertain feeling, harbor feeling, cherish feeling, respond, catch the flame, catch the infection, enter the spirit of, bear, suffer, support, sustain, endure, thole, aby, abide, experience, taste, prove, labor under, smart under, bear the brunt of, brave, stand, swell, glow, warm, flush, blush, change color, mantle, turn color, turn pale, turn red, turn black in the face, tingle, thrill, heave, pant, throb, palpitate, go pitapat, tremble, quiver, flutter, twitter, shake, be agitated, be excited, look blue, look black, wince, draw a deep breath, impress.

Inexcitability

VB be composed, laisser faire, laisser aller, take things easily, take things as they come, take it easy, rub on, live and let live, take easily, take cooly, take in good part, aequam servare mentem, bear the brunt, bear well, go through, support, endure, brave, disregard, tolerate, suffer, stand, bide, abide, aby, bear with, put up with, take up with, abide with, acquiesce, submit, submit with a good grace, resign oneself to, reconcile oneself to, brook, digest, eat, swallow, pocket, stomach, make light of, make the best of, make 'a virtue of necessity', put a good face on, keep one's countenance, check, check oneself, compose, appease (moderate), propitiate, repress, render insensible, overcome one's excitability, allay one's excitability, repress one's excitability, master one's feelings, make oneself easy, make one's mind easy, set one's mind at ease, set one's mind at rest, calm down, cool down, gentle, thaw, grow cool, be borne, be endured, go down.

Courage

VB be courageous, dare, venture, make bold, face danger, front danger, affront danger, confront danger, brave danger, defy danger, despise danger, mock danger, look in the face, look full in the face, look boldly in the face, look danger in the face, face, meet, meet in front, brave, beard, defy, take courage, muster courage, summon up courage, pluck up courage, nerve oneself, take heart, take heart, pluck up heart of grace, hold up one's head, screw one's courage to the sticking place, come up to scratch, stick to one's guns, standfire, stand against, bear up, bear up against, hold out, put a bold face upon, show a bold front, present a bold front, show fight, face the music, bell the cat, take the bull by the horns, beard the lion in his den, march up to the cannon's mouth, go through fire and water, run the gantlet, give courage, infuse courage, inspire courage, reassure, encourage, embolden, inspirit, cheer, nerve, put upon one's mettle, rally, raise a rallying cry, pat on the back, make a man of, keep in countenance.

N courage, bravery, valor, resoluteness, boldness, spirit, daring, gallantry, intrepidity, contempt of danger, defiance of danger, derring-do, audacity, rashness, dash, defiance, confidence, self-reliance, manliness, manhood, nerve, pluck, mettle, game, heart, heart of grace, spunk, guts, face, virtue, hardihood, fortitude, intestinal fortitude, firmness, heart of oak, bottom, backbone, spine, resolution, bulldog courage, prowess, heroism, chivalry, exploit, feat, achievement, heroic deed, heroic act, bold stroke, man, man of mettle, hero, demigod, Amazon, Hector, lion, tiger, panther, bulldog, gamecock, fighting-cock, bully, fire eater, courageous, brave, valiant, valorous, gallant, intrepid, spirited, spiritful, high-spirited, high-mettled, mettlesome, plucky, manly, manful, resolute, stout, stout-hearted, iron-hearted, lion-hearted, heart of oak, Penthesilean, bold, bold-spirited, daring, audacious, fearless, dauntless, dreadless, aweless, undaunted, unappalled, undismayed, unawed, unblanched, unabashed, unalarmed, unflinching, unshrinking, unblanching, unapprehensive, confident, self-reliant, bold as a lion, bold as brass, enterprising, adventurous, venturous, venturesome, dashing, chivalrous, soldierly, heroic, fierce, savage, pugnacious, strong-minded, hardy, doughty, firm, determined, dogged, indomitable, up to, up to the scratch, upon one's mettle, reassured, unfeared, undreaded, one's blood being up, courage sans peur, fortes fortuna adjuvat, have I not in my time heard lions roar, I dare do all that may become a man, male vincetis sed vincite, omne solum forti patria, self-trust is the essence of heroism, stimulos dedit oemula virtus, strong and great, a hero, teloque animus proestantior omni, there, is always safety in valor, virtus ariete fortier.