bracket

BRAK-it/ˈbɹækɪt/

24 meanings of bracket

1
nouncountable
A support fixed to a wall that holds up a shelf.
Like an arm sticking out from the wall to hold something up.
We screwed a metal bracket to the wall before adding the shelf.
The bracket bent under the weight of all the books.
Similarsupport, brace
Note
2
nouncountable
A range of numbers grouped together as one of several divisions.
Like sorting people into different boxes by how much they earn.
People in a higher tax bracket pay more of their income.
Her raise pushed her into the next bracket.
Similarband, range, group, category, tier
Note
3
nouncountable
One of a pair of marks, like ( ) or [ ], put around words or numbers to set them apart.
In math, every bracket you open has to be closed again later.
My new keyboard has keys for round, square, and curly brackets.
Note
4
nounUKcountable
The round mark “(” or “)”, used in pairs to enclose extra words.
Write the date inside brackets at the end of the line.
She forgot to close the bracket after her comment.
Similarparenthesis
Note
5
nounUScountable
A square mark, “[” or “]”, used in pairs to enclose words added to a sentence.
Use a bracket around any word you add to the quote.
The proofreader added brackets to mark the missing letters.
Note
6
nouncountable
A chart that shows which teams play each other in a tournament.
The coach drew the bracket on the whiteboard before the playoffs.
Our team is on the left side of the bracket.
Similardraw
Note
7
nouncountable
A guess at who will win each game in a tournament, often for betting.
He filled out his bracket before the first game tipped off.
Her bracket was busted after the top seed lost early.
Note
8
verbtransitive
To group people or things together as being the same kind.
Like putting things that seem alike into the same box.
Critics often bracket the two writers as gloomy realists.
Don't bracket all teenagers as lazy.
Similargroup, class, lump, categorize, pigeonhole
Oppositeseparate, distinguish
Note
9
verbtransitive
To hold something up using metal or wooden supports fixed to a wall.
Workers will bracket the shelf to the brick wall.
They bracketed the pipe to keep it from sagging.
Similarmount, fix, fasten, secure, attach
10
verbtransitive
To put words inside brackets when you write something.
Remember to bracket any words you add to the quote.
She bracketed the date so it stood out.
Similarparenthesize

11
nouncountable
A part that joins a small piece to a bigger one, with the small piece sticking sideways.
Like an arm that reaches out from a big post to hold a smaller piece.
The shelf rests on a metal bracket bolted to the frame.
A small bracket holds the mirror out from the wall.
Similarmount, support
Note
12
verbtransitive
To close in on something from both sides, surrounding it.
Like two bookends holding a row of books from each side.
Tall hedges bracket the narrow path on either side.
Two towers bracket the main gate.
Similarflank, sandwich, frame, surround, border
13
verbtransitive
To leave something out on purpose and not deal with it for now.
Like putting a problem in a drawer to deal with later.
Let's bracket the budget question and come back to it after lunch.
For now, I'll bracket my doubts and focus on finishing the draft.
Similarshelve, defer, postpone, discount, suspend
Note
14
verbtransitive
To pick something out and mark it so it gets special handling.
Like putting a sticker on the items you want someone to look at first.
The teacher bracketed the strongest essays for extra praise.
We bracket high-risk accounts so the senior team reviews them.
Similarflag, mark, highlight, earmark
Note
15
verbtransitive
To take several photos of the same thing at different brightness settings to get one good shot.
Like taking a few tries at a photo so at least one turns out right.
I always bracket my shots when the lighting is tricky.
She bracketed the sunset to capture both the bright sky and the dark hills.
Note
16
nounobsolete
A mark cut into a stone by surveyors to hold a marker in place.
Like a small notch carved in a wall so a shelf always sits at the same spot.
The surveyor chiseled a fresh bracket into the boundary stone.
Old brackets still marked several stones along the parish line.
Note
17
nounobsoleteuncountable
Alternative form of bragget, a drink made from ale and honey. This old spelling is no longer used.
Note
18
noun
A pair of numbers that show the smallest and largest values in a range.
19
noun
The small curved or angled corner where a letter's main line meets its tiny end-mark.
20
verb
To find a target's exact range by firing just short of it and just past it, then aiming in between.
21
noun
The area between a shot that lands short and one that lands long, which gunners expect to hit very accurately.
22
noun
A short bent piece of wood, shaped like a bent knee, used to hold something up.
23
noun
The side piece of a gun carriage that holds up the parts the barrel turns on.
24
verb
To put aside big questions about what is truly real, so you can focus only on what you actually experience.

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of bracket apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

It comes from an old word for pants. The chain goes back through Old French "brague" (britches) to Latin "brāca" (pants), and even further back to Germanic words for leggings or trousers.