brush

brush
1 noun
1 FOR CLEANING (C) an object that you use for cleaning, painting etc, made with a lot of hairs, bristles (bristle1 (2)), or thin pieces of plastic fixed to a handle: a hairbrush | Get a brush and sweep up all that rubbish.
2 (singular) a movement which brushes something, to remove dirt, make something smooth, tidy etc: I'll just give my hair a quick brush.
3 TOUCH (singular) a quick light touch, made by chance when two things or people pass each other: the brush of her silk dress as she walked past
4 BUSHES/TREES (U)
a) AmE small bushes and trees covering an open area of land
b) branches which have broken off bushes and trees
5 a brush with death/a brush with the law etc an occasion when something bad almost happens to you, but you just manage to avoid it
6 FAIL (C) the tail of a fox 1 (1)
-see also: daft as a brush daft (1) 2 verb
1 (T) to clean something or make something smooth and tidy using a brush: Don't forget to brush your teeth.
2 (transitive always + adv/prep) to remove something with a brush or with your hand: brush sth off/away etc: Brush the crumbs off your jacket, you messy thing. | He brushed his hair out of his eyes.
3 (intransitive always + adv/prep, transitive) to touch someone or something lightly by chance when passing them
(+ against): I felt her hair brush against my arm. | brush sth: The car brushed the hedges of the narrow lane.
4 brush yourself down BrE brush yourself off AmE to tidy yourself, especially after a fall, by using your hands to brush your clothes etc: I got up, brushed myself down, and carried on walking.
brush sb/sth aside phrasal verb (T) to refuse to listen to or consider something: He simply brushed all my objections aside. brush sth down phrasal verb (T) to clean your clothes or an animal thoroughly using a brush brush sth off phrasal verb (T) refuse to listen to someone or their ideas, especially by ignoring them or saying something rude: The President brushed off their pleas for an investigation. brush up (on) sth phrasal verb (I) to quickly practise and improve your skills or knowledge: I must brush up on my French before I go to Paris.

Longman dictionary of contemporary English. 2004.

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Synonyms:
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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Brush — (br[u^]sh), n. [OE. brusche, OF. broche, broce, brosse, brushwood, F. brosse brush, LL. brustia, bruscia, fr. OHG. brusta, brust, bristle, G. borste bristle, b[ u]rste brush. See {Bristle}, n., and cf. {Browse}.] 1. An instrument composed of… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Brush — Brush, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Brushed} (br[u^]sht); p. pr. & vb. n. {Brushing}.] [OE. bruschen; cf. F. brosser. See {Brush}, n.] 1. To apply a brush to, according to its particular use; to rub, smooth, clean, paint, etc., with a brush. A brushes… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • brush — brush1 [brush] n. [ME brushe < OFr broce, brosse, bush, brushwood < VL * bruscia < Gmc * bruskaz, underbrush: for IE base see BREAST] 1. BRUSHWOOD ☆ 2. sparsely settled country, covered with wild scrub growth 3. a) a device having… …   English World dictionary

  • Brush — bezeichnet: eine Kleinstadt im US Bundesstaat Colorado, siehe Brush (Colorado) Pinsel bzw. Pinselspitzen für Grafikprogramme, siehe Digitales Malen im Leveldesign von Computerspielen das Volumen, die Wände, Decken und andere räumliche Gebilde,… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Brush — /brush/, n. Katharine, 1902 52, U.S. novelist and short story writer. * * * ▪ art       device composed of natural or synthetic fibres set into a handle that is used for cleaning, grooming, polishing, writing, or painting. Brushes were used by… …   Universalium

  • brush — brush·a·bil·i·ty; brush; brush·ite; brush·less; sage·brush; sage·brush·er; scratch·brush·er; brush·er; brush·man; …   English syllables

  • brush — vb Brush, graze, glance, shave, skim are comparable when they mean to touch lightly in passing. Brush implies a movement like the flick of a brush upon a surface: sometimes it suggests no more than an almost impalpable touching, but sometimes it… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • brush|y — brush|y1 «BRUHSH ee», adjective, brush|i|er, brush|i|est. like a brush; rough and shaggy. ╂[< brush1 + y1] brush …   Useful english dictionary

  • brush-on — /brush on , awn /, adj. 1. fit to be applied with a brush: a brush on paint remover. n. 2. a substance that can be applied with a brush: The varnish dries more quickly than most brush ons. [adj., n. use of v. phrase brush on] * * * …   Universalium

  • brush — Ⅰ. brush [1] ► NOUN 1) an implement with a handle and a block of bristles, hair, or wire, used especially for cleaning, smoothing, or painting. 2) an act of brushing. 3) a slight and fleeting touch. 4) a brief encounter with something bad or… …   English terms dictionary

  • brush-on — /brush on , awn /, adj. 1. fit to be applied with a brush: a brush on paint remover. n. 2. a substance that can be applied with a brush: The varnish dries more quickly than most brush ons. [adj., n. use of v. phrase brush on] …   Useful english dictionary

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