brave
- Willing to do something scary or difficult without giving up because of fear.
- As a verb: to face or endure something dangerous or unpleasant.
In a sentence
- The brave firefighter ran into the burning building to rescue the trapped family.
- She decided to brave the freezing rain to walk her dog before dinner.
Usage note. Note that 'brave' implies acting despite fear, not the absence of fear; collocates strongly with 'act,' 'face,' and 'soldier.'
Where it comes from
English brave · entered English late 15th c.
From French 'brave,' meaning 'bold or courageous,' which came from Italian 'bravo' (bold) or Spanish 'bravo' (fierce, wild). The ultimate origin may be Latin 'barbarus' (foreign, wild), though this is debated. The word entered English in the late 15th century.