To make brave or courageous; to embolden or encourage someone to face danger fearlessly.
From Middle English, combining the prefix 'em-' (put into) with 'brave' (fearless). The construction follows the pattern of similar verbs like 'empower' and 'encourage,' dating back to Old French 'brave.'
This archaic word captures something modern psychology studies—when someone verbally encourages you before a challenge, it literally changes your confidence and brain chemistry, making you braver.
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