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View synonyms for brush-off

brush-off

[ bruhsh-awf, -of ]

noun

  1. a refusal to talk or listen to someone; abrupt or final dismissal or rebuff.


brush off

verb

  1. to dismiss and ignore (a person), esp curtly
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


noun

  1. an abrupt dismissal or rejection
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Word History and Origins

Origin of brush-off1

1945–50, Americanism; noun use of verb phrase brush off
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Idioms and Phrases

Dismiss or rebuff, as in Roberta brushed off the poor reviews with a shrug , or You can't brush off a boyfriend and expect him to do you a favor . This expression, transferring sweeping off crumbs to a curt dismissal, was first recorded about 1820. However, it became common usage only in the 1930s. Also see give someone the air (brush off) .
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Example Sentences

Of course, when I sounded them out, they gave me a kindly brush-off: The matter was out of the their hands.

For any officer to brush-off a forthright request for aid or advice under such circumstances is an unofficerly act.

I finally gave Comrade Snyder the complete brush-off, and I must say he took it very nicely.

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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