a small nail
"He carefully hammered each brad into the wood to hold the fabric in place without leaving visible holes."
A thin, small nail, with a slight projection at the top on one side instead of a head, or occasionally with a small domed head, similar to that of an escutcheon pin.
"He used a brad to secure the decorative trim along the edge of the wooden cabinet without leaving visible holes for screws."
In plain English: A brad is a tiny, thin nail with a small head used for light-duty fastening.
"She used a thick brad to secure the page in her binder."
Usage: Use "brad" to refer to a small, flat-headed nail used for light-duty fastening in wood or upholstery. Do not confuse it with words like "brand" or "bread," which have completely unrelated meanings.
fasten with brads
"The carpenter quickly braded the two pieces of wood together to secure them firmly in place."
To attach using a brad.
"The carpenter used a brad to secure the small molding strip without leaving visible holes in the finish."
In plain English: To brad something means to push it through a hole with a sharp tool.
"She brad the fabric to the backing before cutting out the shapes."
Usage: To braid is incorrect; the verb form is to brad, which means to fasten something by punching it with a small wire staple called a brad. Use this term specifically when describing the action of securing items like fabric or paper with these thin metal fasteners.
A diminutive of the male given names Bradley, Bradly, or Bradford, also used as a formal given name.
"At the school assembly, the principal invited Mr. Brad to speak about his journey from a small town to becoming a renowned architect."
The word "brad" comes from the Old Norse word broddr, which originally meant a spike or shaft. It entered Late Middle English as a variant spelling related to the Proto-Germanic root for sharp points, making it a doublet of the word "prod."