Entry 9 senses · 3 variants Webster, 1913 Brave /brāv/ · IPA /bɹeɪv/ a. n. v. t. 01 a. Bold; courageous; daring; intrepid; -- opposed to cowardly; as, a brave man; a brave act. 1. Bold; courageous; daring; intrepid; -- opposed to cowardly; as, a brave man; a brave act. 2. Having any sort of superiority or excellence; -- especially such as in conspicuous.[Obs. or Archaic as applied to material things.] “Iron is a brave commodity where wood aboundeth.” — Bacon. “It being a brave day, I walked to Whitehall.” — Pepys. 3. Making a fine show or display.[Archaic] “Wear my dagger with the braver grace.” — Shak. “For I have gold, and therefore will be brave. In silks I'll rattle it of every color.” — Robert Greene. “Frog and lizard in holiday coats And turtle brave in his golden spots.” — Emerson. Syn. Courageous; gallant; daring; valiant; valorous; bold; heroic; intrepid; fearless; dauntless; magnanimous; high-spirited; stout-hearted. See Gallant. 02 n. A brave person; one who is daring. 1. A brave person; one who is daring. “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. 2. Specifically, an Indian warrior. 3. A man daring beyond discretion; a bully. “Hot braves like thee may fight.” — Dryden. 4. A challenge; a defiance; bravado.[Obs.] “Demetrius, thou dost overween in all; And so in this, to bear me down with braves.” — Shak. 03 v. t. To encounter with courage and fortitude; to set at defiance; to defy; to dare. imp. & p. p. Braved; p. pr. & vb. n. Braving 1. To encounter with courage and fortitude; to set at defiance; to defy; to dare. “These I can brave, but those I can not bear.” — Dryden. 2. To adorn; to make fine or showy.[Obs.] “Thou [a tailor whom Grunio was browbeating] hast braved meny men; brave not me; I'll neither be faced or braved.” — Shak.