brave

I. brave¹ S3 /breɪv/ BrE AmE adjective (comparative braver, superlative bravest)
[Date: 1400-1500; Language: French; Origin: Old Italian and Old Spanish bravo 'brave, wild', from Latin barbarus; ⇨ ↑barbarous]
1.
a) dealing with danger, pain, or difficult situations with courage and confidence SYN courageous:
brave soldiers
her brave fight against cancer
it is brave of somebody (to do something)
It was brave of you to speak in front of all those people.
b) the brave [plural] brave people:
Today we remember the brave who died in the last war.
2. very good:
Despite their captain’s brave performance, Arsenal lost 2–1.
brave effort/attempt
the brave efforts of the medical staff to save his life
3. put on a brave face/front to pretend that you are happy when you are really very upset
4. brave new world a situation or a way of doing something that is new and exciting and meant to improve people’s lives:
the brave new world of digital television
—bravely adverb:
She smiled bravely.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ brave showing that you are not afraid to do things that other people find dangerous or difficult: I think he was incredibly brave to do a parachute jump. | a brave attempt to change the system
▪ courageous /kəˈreɪdʒəs/ especially written very brave – used especially about someone fighting for what they believe in, or fighting against a disease: a courageous speech | her courageous fight against cancer
▪ daring brave and willing to take a lot of risks: a daring escape from a prison camp | a daring fighter pilot | a daring thing to do
▪ bold willing to make difficult decisions or say what you think, even though it may involve risks: It was a bold move to set up his own company. | She was very bold in criticizing the leadership.
▪ intrepid written willing to do dangerous things or go to dangerous places: an intrepid traveller | We sent our intrepid reporter to find out what is happening.
▪ adventurous used about someone who enjoys going to new places and doing new, possibly dangerous, things: More adventurous visitors can go skiing or snowboarding.
▪ fearless not afraid of anything or anyone: a fearless campaigner for human rights
▪ heroic very brave and admired by many people: heroic rescuers | Despite heroic efforts to save him, he died.
▪ plucky brave and determined – often used in newspapers: Plucky Megan, aged 10, has beaten cancer twice.

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

brave

brave [brave braves braved braving braver bravest] adjective, verb, noun [breɪv] [breɪv]

adjective (braver, brav·est)
1. (of a person) willing to do things which are difficult, dangerous or painful; not afraid
Syn: courageous
• brave men and women
• Be brave!

• I wasn't brave enough to tell her what I thought of her.

2. (of an action) requiring or showing courage
• a brave decision
• She died after a brave fight against cancer.

• He felt homesick, but made a brave attempt to appear cheerful.

3. ~ new (sometimes ironic) new in an impressive way
• a vision of a brave new Britain
Word Origin:
late 15th cent.: from French, from Italian bravo ‘bold’ or Spanish bravo ‘courageous, untamed, savage’, based on Latin barbarus from Greek barbaros ‘foreign’.
Thesaurus:
brave adj.
• a brave fight against cancer
courageous • • heroic • • daring • • adventurous • • bold • |informal gutsy • |written fearless • |old-fashioned literary gallant •
Opp: cowardly
a brave/courageous/heroic/daring/bold/gallant attempt/action
a brave/courageous/daring/bold decision
a brave/courageous/heroic/gallant resistance/struggle
a brave/courageous/fearless/gallant soldier
Example Bank:
• The whisky had made me brave.
• I had to put on a brave face and try to show him that I wasn't worried.
• I wasn't brave enough to tell her what I thought of her.
• She took the brave decision to start her own business.
Idioms: brave new world ▪ put a brave face on something ▪ put on a brave face

Derived Words: bravely ▪ bravery

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 4th Edition

brave / breɪv / adjective

B1 showing no fear of dangerous or difficult things:

a brave soldier

It was a brave decision to quit her job and start her own business.

She was very brave to learn to ski at 50.

Of the three organizations criticized, only one was brave enough to face the press.

Richards has made a brave attempt to answer his critics.

This action will cause problems, despite the bank's brave talk/words about carrying on as if nothing had happened.

Collins Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary

brave

[bre͟ɪv]
♦♦♦
braver, bravest, braves, braving, braved
1) ADJ-GRADED Someone who is brave is willing to do things which are dangerous, and does not show fear in difficult or dangerous situations.
  He was not brave enough to report the loss of the documents.
  ...those brave people who dared to challenge the Stalinist regimes.
  Syn:
  courageous
  Ant:
  cowardly
  Derived words:
  bravely ADV-GRADED usu ADV with v, also ADV adj Our men wiped them out, but the enemy fought bravely and well... Mr Kim bravely stood up to authority.
2) VERB If you brave unpleasant or dangerous conditions, you deliberately expose yourself to them, usually in order to achieve something. [WRITTEN]
  [V n] Thousands have braved icy rain to demonstrate their support.
3) N-COUNT A brave is a young Native American man, especially one who is good at fighting. [OLD-FASHIONED]
4) PHRASE: V inflects If someone is putting on a brave face or is putting a brave face on a difficult situation, they are pretending that they are happy or satisfied when they are not.
  He felt disappointed but he tried to put on a brave face...
  The White House tried to put a brave face on the job figures.

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary

¹brave /ˈbreɪv/ adj brav·er; -est : feeling or showing no fear : not afraid
• He was a brave [=courageous, fearless] soldier.
• She gave us a brave smile.
• He lost his brave fight against the disease.
• She tried to put on/up a brave face/front [=she tried to appear brave or calm] despite the pain of the injury.
the brave : brave people
• the home of the brave
- brave·ly adv
• He smiled bravely as he stepped in front of the cameras.