brush

¹

[ bruhsh ]

noun

1. an implement consisting of bristles, hair, or the like, set in or attached to a handle, used for painting, cleaning, polishing, grooming, etc.
2. one of a pair of devices consisting of long, thin handles with wire bristles attached, used in jazz or dance bands for keeping a soft, rhythmic beat on the trap drums or the cymbals.
3. the bushy tail of an animal, especially of a fox.
4. Electricity.
   1. a conductor, often made of carbon or copper or a combination of the two, serving to maintain electric contact between stationary and moving parts of a machine, generator, or other apparatus.
   2. brush discharge.
5. a feathery or hairy tuft or tassel, as on the tip of a kernel of grain or on a man's hat.
6. an act or instance of brushing; application of a brush.
7. a light, stroking touch.
8. a brief conflict or fight; skirmish:

   He has already had one brush with the law.

   Synonyms: encounter, action, engagement

9. a close approach, especially to something undesirable or harmful:

   a brush with disaster.

verb (used with object)

1. to sweep, paint, clean, polish, etc., with a brush.
2. to touch lightly in passing; pass lightly over:

   His lips brushed her ear.

3. to remove by brushing or by lightly passing over:

   His hand brushed a speck of lint from his coat.

verb (used without object)

1. to move or skim with a slight contact.

verb phrase

1. to revive, review, or resume (studies, a skill, etc.): Also brush up.

   She's thinking of brushing up on her tennis.

2. to rebuff; send away:

   She had never been brushed off so rudely before.

3. to disregard; ignore:

   Our complaints were simply brushed aside.

brush

²

[ bruhsh ]

noun

1. a dense growth of bushes, shrubs, etc.; scrub; thicket.
2. a pile or covering of lopped or broken branches; brushwood.
3. bushes and low trees growing in thick profusion, especially close to the ground.
4. Also called brushland. land or an area covered with thickly growing bushes and low trees.
5. backwoods; a sparsely settled wooded region.

Brush

³

[ bruhsh ]

noun

1. Katharine, 1902–52, U.S. novelist and short-story writer.

brush

¹

/ brʌʃ /

noun

1. a thick growth of shrubs and small trees; scrub
2. land covered with scrub
3. broken or cut branches or twigs; brushwood
4. wooded sparsely populated country; backwoods

brush

²

/ brʌʃ /

noun

1. a device made of bristles, hairs, wires, etc, set into a firm back or handle: used to apply paint, clean or polish surfaces, groom the hair, etc
2. the act or an instance of brushing
3. a light stroke made in passing; graze
4. a brief encounter or contact, esp an unfriendly one; skirmish
5. the bushy tail of a fox, often kept as a trophy after a hunt, or of certain breeds of dog
6. an electric conductor, esp one made of carbon, that conveys current between stationary and rotating parts of a generator, motor, etc
7. a dark brush-shaped region observed when a biaxial crystal is viewed through a microscope, caused by interference between beams of polarized light

verb

1. tr to clean, polish, scrub, paint, etc, with a brush
2. tr to apply or remove with a brush or brushing movement

   brush the crumbs off the table

3. tr to touch lightly and briefly
4. intr to move so as to graze or touch something lightly

Derived Forms

• ˈbrusher, noun
• ˈbrushˌlike, adjective

Other Words From

• brusha·ble adjective
• brusher noun
• brushlike adjective
• un·brusha·ble adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of brush¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English noun brushe, broche, brosc, probably to be identified with brush ², if the original sense was “implement made from twigs, etc., culled from brushwood”; Middle English verb brushen “to hasten, rush,” probably from Old French brosser “to travel (through brush),” derivative of broce ( brush ² )

Origin of brush²

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English brushe, bro(c)che “brushwood, thicket”; from Middle French broisse, Old French broce “underbrush” (compare Anglo-French brousson “wood,” brusseie “heath”), perhaps from unattested Vulgar Latin bruscia “excrescences,” derivative of Latin bruscum “knot or excrescence on a maple tree”; brush ¹( def )

Word History and Origins

Origin of brush¹

C16 (dense undergrowth), C14 (cuttings of trees): from Old French broce , from Vulgar Latin bruscia (unattested) brushwood

Origin of brush²

C14: from Old French broisse , perhaps from broce brush ²

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. get the brush, to be rejected or rebuffed:

   She greeted Jim effusively, but I got the brush.

2. give the brush, to ignore, rebuff, etc.:

   If you're still angry with him, give him the brush.

More idioms and phrases containing brush

• give someone the air (brush off)
• have a brush with
• tarred with the same brush

Example Sentences

At issue is a change the utility made to the amount of trees and other brush it clears around utility poles and power lines, especially in high fire-risk areas.

From Voice of San Diego

The researchers then used a brush and “painted” virus onto animals that had been infected and were now immune.

From Science News For Students

The easements would effectively be a legal agreement that would allow the developer to ensure that flammable brush on private property near Lilac Hills Ranch was managed safely.

From Voice of San Diego

That was comparable to another set of three similar trees pollinated by hand with a standard pollen brush.

From Science News

Short dogs have to work too hard just to break through the brush, she says.

From Science News For Students

But just up the steep river bank and through the brush is an opening.

From The Daily Beast

Before this latest brush with the law, the rapper was facing pot-bust and unrelated gun charges.

From The Daily Beast

It was starting to look like Cosby might not brush this scandal off.

From The Daily Beast

Brush the pastry with egg wash and sprinkle with fleur de sel and pepper.

From The Daily Beast

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, place on a sheet pan, brush with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

From The Daily Beast

We squatted in the long grass and buck-brush, listening, and a few seconds later heard a horse snort distinctly.

From Project Gutenberg

Her success increased her confidence in herself and enhanced the boldness and freedom with which she handled her brush.

From Project Gutenberg

Two or three small parties of guerrillas had been sighted, but they took to the brush at the sight of the Federals.

From Project Gutenberg

Grandfather Mole felt it brush his back as it swept into place again.

From Project Gutenberg

Near noon I found a place where they'd cached two extra horses in the brush on Sage Creek.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• scrub
• thicket

When To Use

What are other ways to say brush?

A brush is a brief encounter or skirmish. How does brush compare to struggle and clash? Find out on Thesaurus.com.