Brave

a. [Fr. brave, valiant, good, well-dressed, Pr. breu, f. brava, hard, wicked, brave, Sp. & Pg. bravo, valiant, strenuous, fierce, rude, sumptuous, fine, It. bravo, courageous, O. It., tempestuous. Sp. brava, a heavy swell of the sea, braveza, bravery, valor, fury of the elements, bravio, fierce, coarse, O. Sp. braviar, to roar. This word seems to be of Celtic origin, though its primitive form is not clearly preserved in the modern Celtic dialects. Cf. W. braw, terror, fright, brau, frank, ready, Armor. braō, brav, fine, agreeable, pretty, braga, to strut, Ir. & Gael. breo, fire, flame.]

1Sense 1. Of noble or admirable courage; uniting boldness with generosity and dignity; bold; daring; intrepid; fearless.

The star-spangled banner, O, long may it wave O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave. F. S. Key.

2Sense 2. Gallant; lofty; excellent; beautiful; grand; noble; dignified.

Iron is a brave commodity where wood aboundeth. Bacon.

It being a brave day, I walked to Whitehall. Pepys.

3Sense 3. Gaudy; showy in dress. [Obs.]

For I have gold, and therefore will be brave. In silks I'll rattle it of every color. Greene.

Synonyms—Courageous; gallant; daring; valiant; valorous; bold; heroic; intrepid; fearless; dauntless; magnanimous; high-spirited. See GALLANT.

n. 1. A brave person; one who is bold or daring; specifically, an Indian warrior.

2Sense 2. A hector; a bully; a man daring beyond discretion or decency.

Hot braves like thee may fight. Dryden.

3Sense 3. A boast; a challenge; a defiance. [Obs.]

*Demetrius, thou dost overween in all, And so in this, to bear me down with braves. Shak.*