Brace (grouping)

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A brace of something is a way of defining the quantity of them as there being two of the items, much like a dozen of something (12) or a score (20).

Thus it is similar the use of the word couple in a mathematical context, although more specific. 'Couple' might sometimes be used to mean 'few'.

Typically it is used as a method of counting in hunting, such as a brace of Pheasant or Rabbit. The term comes from Middle English via the Old French for the (upper) arms, cf embrace. In the United Kingdom, it is often used in media reporting of football matches to describe a player having scored two goals (see also hat-trick).