Architecturea supporting piece sticking out from a wall to support the weight of a shelf, etc., or to reinforce the angle between two pieces.
Architecturea wall fixture for holding a lamp, clock, etc.
PrintingAlso called ˈsquare ˌbrack•et. one of two marks, [ or ], used in writing or printing to enclose information added as extra but not essential:I put my comments on the side in brackets.
Sociologya grouping, as of persons in relation to their income or age:travels in a different social bracket.
v.[~ + object]
Buildingto furnish with or support by a bracket or brackets:He bracketed the fittings with braces.
Building, to place (words, etc.) within brackets.
to group in a class together: The problems of the inner city were bracketed together in that article.
Building, Architecturea support, as of metal or wood, projecting from a wall or the like to hold or bear the weight of a shelf, part of a cornice, etc.
Buildinga shelf or shelves so supported.
PrintingAlso called square bracket. one of two marks [ or ] used in writing or printing to enclose parenthetical matter, interpolations, etc.
[Math.]
brackets, parentheses of various forms indicating that the enclosed quantity is to be treated as a unit.
(loosely) vinculum (def. 2).
Informal Termsan expression or formula between a pair of brackets.
Sociologya grouping of people based on the amount of their income:the low-income bracket.
Sociologya class; grouping; classification:She travels in a different social bracket.
Architecture
any horizontally projecting support for an overhanging weight, as a corbel, cantilever, or console.
any of a series of fancifully shaped false consoles beneath an ornamental cornice.
Architecture, Building(on a staircase) an ornamental piece filling the angle between a riser and its tread.
Nautical[Shipbuilding.]
, Nautical, Naval Termsa flat plate, usually triangular with a flange on one edge, used to unite and reinforce the junction between two flat members or surfaces meeting at an angle.
, Nautical, Naval Termsany member for reinforcing the angle between two members or surfaces.
a projecting fixture for gas or electricity.
Military[Gunnery.]range or elevation producing both shorts and overs on a target.
v.t.
Buildingto furnish with or support by a bracket or brackets.
Building, to place within brackets; couple with a brace.
to associate, mention, or class together:Gossip columnists often bracket them together, so a wedding may be imminent.
Military[Gunnery.]to place (shots) both beyond and short of a target.
Photographyto take (additional shots) at exposure levels above and below the estimated correct exposure.
1570–80; earlier also brag( g)et (in architecture); of obscure origin, originally
a group or category falling within or between certain defined limits: the lower income bracket
the distance between two preliminary shots of artillery fire in range-finding
vb (-kets, -keting, -keted) (transitive)
to fix or support by means of a bracket or brackets
to put (written or printed matter) in brackets, esp as being irrelevant, spurious, or bearing a separate relationship of some kind to the rest of the text
to couple or join (two lines of text, etc) with a brace
(often followed by with) to group or class together
to adjust (artillery fire) until the target is hit
Etymology: 16th Century: from Old French braguette codpiece, diminutive of bragues breeches, from Old Provençal braga, from Latin brāca breeches
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