brace of shakes
- noun
- /breɪs əv ʃeɪks/
- Archaic
- I ordered a brace of shakes for dessert.
Examples
-
He surprised his friend by bringing over a brace of shakes for their movie night.
-
Would you like a brace of shakes with your meal?
-
After the game, they shared a brace of shakes at the local soda shop.
-
On hot afternoons, a brace of shakes is the perfect way to cool down.
-
After the game, they shared a brace of shakes at the local soda shop.
-
He surprised his friend by bringing over a brace of shakes for their movie night.
-
On hot afternoons, a brace of shakes is the perfect way to cool down.
Synonyms
Two animals or things that form a pair
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a pair of milkshakes' is directly derivable from combining 'brace' (a pair) with 'shakes' (milkshakes). Although 'brace of' is somewhat literary/archaic and not very frequent, the compositional pattern 'brace/of/Y' yields the obvious meaning, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents would understand it.
Etymology
Brace of shakes uses brace, an old word for a pair, and shakes to mean milkshakes. One popular story says hunters once talked about a 'brace' of two birds, so the clear picture of carrying two shakes helps you remember it means 'a pair of milkshakes'.