brace wrench

7.7

A hand tool with a crank handle and a socket head to turn bolts or nuts

noun
/breɪs wrenʧ/

Archaic

: llave de brazo

The mechanic used a brace wrench to loosen the rusted bolt.

Examples

He reached into his toolbox and pulled out a sturdy brace wrench.
He used a brace wrench to tighten the bolts.
A brace wrench is particularly useful when extra leverage is needed.
Do you have a brace wrench in your toolbox?
A brace wrench is particularly useful when extra leverage is needed.
He reached into his toolbox and pulled out a sturdy brace wrench.
The mechanic used a brace wrench to loosen the rusted bolt.

Synonyms

wrench

vsbrace wrench

60 2.5

A hand tool with a shaped opening that grips and turns nuts and bolts

is a specific tool with a crank handle and a socket head

socket wrench

vsbrace wrench

6 4.2

A hand tool with a handle and removable metal pieces that fit over and turn nuts and bolts

has a crank-shaped handle with a single socket head not interchangeable

spanner

vsbrace wrench

6 4.4

A tool used to turn nuts and bolts

uses a crank-shaped handle and a socket head instead of jaws or a shaped end

torque wrench

vsbrace wrench

Specialized

3 6.8

A tool that measures and applies the right tightness to bolts and nuts

has a crank-shaped handle and simple socket head not built for torque measurement

monkey wrench

vsbrace wrench

2 3.0

A tool with one fixed and one movable jaw that grips and turns bolts

has a crank-shaped handle with a socket head instead of a jaw grip

lug wrench

vsbrace wrench

Specialized

2 4.8

A tool for loosening or tightening the nuts that hold a car wheel

has a crank-shaped handle and a socket head used for general bolts and nuts

crescent wrench

vsbrace wrench

1 3.8

A metal tool with a movable jaw for holding and turning nuts and bolts

has a crank-shaped handle with a socket head rather than movable jaws

box wrench

vsbrace wrench

1 3.5

A tool with a closed circular end that fits over a nut or bolt to turn it

has a crank-shaped handle and a socket head instead of a fixed ring

adjustable wrench

vsbrace wrench

1 3.0

A tool with a movable jaw that fits different sizes of nuts and bolts

uses a socket head on a crank-shaped handle rather than adjustable jaws

box end wrench

vsbrace wrench

Specialized

5.9

A wrench with a closed ring end that fits over a nut or bolt

has a crank-shaped handle and a socket head rather than a ring end

adjustable spanner

vsbrace wrench

3.5

A tool with a movable jaw that fits nuts and bolts of different sizes

has a fixed socket head on a crank-shaped handle instead of a movable jaw

screw wrench

vsbrace wrench

3.8

A tool with one movable jaw that you move by turning a screw to hold nuts or bolts

uses a socket head on a crank-shaped handle rather than a screw adjusted jaw

open-end wrench

vsbrace wrench

Specialized

4.5

A tool with two flat open jaws that grip nuts or bolts

has a socket head on a crank-shaped handle rather than fixed open jaws

S wrench

vsbrace wrench

7.5

A tool with an S-shaped handle for turning bolts in tight spaces

has a crank-shaped handle and a socket head not designed for deep reach

wrencher

vsbrace wrench

5.4

A tool that turns nuts and bolts to make them tight or loose

is a hand tool with a crank-shaped handle and a socket head for fasteners

Surface Forms

brace wrench singular

brace wrenches plural

Morphology

brace + wrench

This is a straightforward noun–noun compound: combining 'brace' (a crank-handled tool) with 'wrench' (a tool for gripping/turning) yields a wrench that has a brace-like/crank handle. Both constituents are concrete tool names and the composition follows a regular, predictable pattern, so a B1 learner who knows both words can infer the meaning.

Etymology

Brace wrench probably comes from joining brace (an old hand tool with a bent handle you twist) and wrench (a tool for nuts and bolts). Picture a wrench with a bent handle that gives you more power to 'turn' tight bolts, so the name describes the tool's shape and use.