From Middle English bras, bres, from Old English bræs (“brass, bronze”), of uncertain origin. Perhaps representing a backformation from Proto-Germanic *brasnaz (“brazen”), from or related to *brasō (“fire, pyre”). Compare Old Norse and Icelandic bras (“solder”), Icelandic brasa (“to harden in the fire”), Swedish brasa (“a small controlled fire”), Danish brase (“to fry”); French braser ("to solder"; > English braise) from the same Germanic root. Compare also Middle Dutch braspenninc ("a silver coin", literally, "silver-penny"; > Dutch braspenning), Old Frisian bress (“copper”), Middle Low German bras (“metal, ore”) and برنج (branj, “brass”)
In the military sense an ellipsis of the brass hats.
Meanings
Made of brass, of or pertaining to brass.
Of the color of brass.
(informal) Impertinent, bold: brazen.
It was a show of very large and very brass cojones, [...] 2011, Paul Christopher, The Templar Conspiracy:
At the Council board, I hope to charge him with that he cannot answer, and yet I know his face is brass enough. 1869, John Bruce, editor, Calendar of State Papers, domestic series, of the reign of Charles I, 1637-1638, page 147:
[...] he continued in the same insulting strain. "If you were not quite brass, you would know it is not proper to be making promises you dare not tell of." 1872, Elsie Leigh Whittlesey, Helen Ethinger: or, Not Exactly Right, page 154:
Maybe (probably so), but it's rare someone is brass enough to post a msg for all to see asking for a software key, that the vast majority have paid for in support of the development effort. 1996 May 24, 2:00 am, Sherman Simpson, Want license key for AGENT FOR WINDOWS95, alt.usenet.offline-reader.forte-agent
After cornering the dutch auction, the seller was brass enough to send him the whole lot without one. 2000 Aug 18, 2:00 am, David Ryan, strangest bid retraction /illegal lottery NOT, rec.collecting.coins
Try to keep in mind that not all of his converts are brass enough to challenge the benzo pushers in this group, … 2000 Aug 19, 3:00 am, n4mwd, for RMB, alt.support.anxiety-panic
(slang) Bad, annoying; as wordplay applied especially to brass instruments.
Mr. REGINALD SMITH, KC, the publisher, followed, but he had hardly begun his very interesting remarks when a procession headed by a very brass band entered Smithfield from the west, and approached the platform. 1908, The Smith Family, published in Punch, March 4 1908, bound in Punch vol. CXXXIV, page 168
Grindoff, the miller, 'and the leader of a very brass band of most unpopular performers, with a thorough base accompaniment of at least fifty vices,' was played by Miss Saunders. 1888, Mr. & Mrs. Bancroft on and off the stage: written by themselves, volume 1, page 90:
I must confess that to me there is something almost pathetic in the sight of a body of bluejackets improving their muscles on the quarter deck by bar-bell exercise, accompanied by a brass — a very brass — band, [...] 1900 November 3, “The Training of Seamen”, in The Saturday Review, volume 90, number 2349, page 556:
The padre in my neighborhood — Santa Ana — was having some kind of a fiesta, and had hired a very brass band. This band kept up its martial airs for hours and hours after I got home, with grand finales — or what each time I hoped would be the grand finale, every five minutes. 1929, Philippine Magazine, volume 6, page 27:
There are soldiers, policemen, priests and friars, as well as a motley mass of women, children, babies and dogs, and upon special occasions a very brass band. 1937, Blair Niles, A journey in time: Peruvian pageant, page 166:
Of inferior composition.
As Honest Plush Brannon then, Mr. Beery is one of San Francisco's fancier con men and hence more brass than plush 1939, The New York times film reviews, volume 3:
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Translations (17)
fi messinkinen (made of brass, of or pertaining to brass) · pt bronze (of color of brass) · nl bronzen (of color of brass) · fi messinki- (made of brass, of or pertaining to brass) · gd pràiseach (of color of brass) · de messingfarben (of color of brass) · it dalla faccia di bronzo (impertinent, bold, brazen) · sh mjȅden (of color of brass) · fi koppava (impertinent, bold, brazen) · fr couleur de laiton (of color of brass) · ang bresen (made of brass, of or pertaining to brass) · ka თითბრისფერი (of color of brass) · de messinggelb (of color of brass) · fi messinginvärinen (of color of brass) · mn гуулин (made of brass, of or pertaining to brass) · it d'ottone (made of brass, of or pertaining to brass) · mn гуулин (of color of brass)
From Middle English bras, bres, from Old English bræs (“brass, bronze”), of uncertain origin. Perhaps representing a backformation from Proto-Germanic *brasnaz (“brazen”), from or related to *brasō (“fire, pyre”). Compare Old Norse and Icelandic bras (“solder”), Icelandic brasa (“to harden in the fire”), Swedish brasa (“a small controlled fire”), Danish brase (“to fry”); French braser ("to solder"; > English braise) from the same Germanic root. Compare also Middle Dutch braspenninc ("a silver coin", literally, "silver-penny"; > Dutch braspenning), Old Frisian bress (“copper”), Middle Low German bras (“metal, ore”) and برنج (branj, “brass”)
In the military sense an ellipsis of the brass hats.
Meanings
(countable, uncountable, usually) A metallic alloy of copper and zinc used in many industrial and plumbing applications. ▸ A memorial or sepulchral tablet usually made of brass or latten: a monumental brass.
(countable, uncountable, usually) A metallic alloy of copper and zinc used in many industrial and plumbing applications. ▸ Fittings, utensils, or other items made of brass.
(uncountable, usually) A class of wind instruments, usually made of metal (such as brass), that use vibrations of the player's lips to produce sound; a band or the section of an orchestra that features such instruments.
A few measures later, the brass comes in strong!
(uncountable, usually) Spent cartridge casings (usually made of brass): the part of the cartridge left over after bullets or shells have been fired.
(uncountable, usually) The color of brass (etymology 1, noun sense 1).
(metonymically, qualifier:business or other organizations, uncountable, used as a singular or plural noun, usually) High-ranking officers: the brass hats.
I don't want to keep the brass waiting, Chief. 2004 November 9, Bungie, Halo 2, spoken by Avery Johnson (David Scully), Microsoft Game Studios, Xbox, level/area: The Armory:
The brass is not going to like this.
The brass are not going to like this.
(informal, uncountable, usually) A brave or foolhardy attitude; impudence.
lo ຄ້ວງ (alloy of copper and zinc) · ro alamă (alloy of copper and zinc) · bg ме́синг (alloy of copper and zinc) · uz jez (alloy of copper and zinc) · gd pràiseach (made of brass (attributive use)) · pt latão (alloy of copper and zinc) · gl arxén (slang: money) · lo ທອງຫ້າວ (alloy of copper and zinc) · la orichalcum (alloy of copper and zinc) · scn lattuni (alloy of copper and zinc) · ca pasta (slang: money) · it ottone (alloy of copper and zinc) · pdt Messinkj (alloy of copper and zinc) · sv mässing (alloy of copper and zinc) · de Messing (alloy of copper and zinc) · sh меден (made of brass (attributive use)) · ang ār (alloy of copper and zinc) · sh месинг (alloy of copper and zinc) · ko 황동 (alloy of copper and zinc) · bg духов (related to brass instruments (attributive use)) · ru ги́льза (spent shell casings) · fi messinkinen (made of brass (attributive use)) · lo ທອງເຫລືອງ (alloy of copper and zinc) · yi מעש (alloy of copper and zinc) · bg пиринчен (made of brass (attributive use)) · is látún (alloy of copper and zinc) · tg латун (alloy of copper and zinc) · gl castón (spent shell casings) · ba еҙ (alloy of copper and zinc) · fr douille (spent shell casings) · it bossolo (spent shell casings) · nb messinginstrument (class of wind instruments) · tg биринҷ (alloy of copper and zinc) · et messing (alloy of copper and zinc) · te ఇత్తడి (alloy of copper and zinc) · uk мося́ж (alloy of copper and zinc) · cmn 銅管 /铜管 (class of wind instruments) · scn attuni (alloy of copper and zinc) · sl med (alloy of copper and zinc) · bg пиринч (alloy of copper and zinc) · nl messing (alloy of copper and zinc) · he פְּלִיז (alloy of copper and zinc) · zza berence (alloy of copper and zinc) · hu fejesek (high-ranking military officers) · ru лату́нный (made of brass (attributive use)) · zza rız (diq) (alloy of copper and zinc) · mn гуулин хөгжим (class of wind instruments) · nn messing (alloy of copper and zinc) · hu pofátlanság (informal: a brave or foolhardy attitude) · gl latón (alloy of copper and zinc) · mi pūtētere (class of wind instruments) · ro alămuri (class of wind instruments) · pl mosiężny (made of brass (attributive use)) · th ทองเหลือง (alloy of copper and zinc) · mt ram (alloy of copper and zinc) · sh med (alloy of copper and zinc) · sa आर (alloy of copper and zinc) · ba еҙ (made of brass (attributive use)) · it ottoni (class of wind instruments) · gl marzupios (slang: money) · fr laiton (alloy of copper and zinc) · fr galonnés (high-ranking military officers) · oc laton (alloy of copper and zinc) · nl lef (informal: a brave or foolhardy attitude) · ar صُفَّر (alloy of copper and zinc) · mi parāhi (alloy of copper and zinc) · fi päällystö (high-ranking military officers) · bg меден (made of brass (attributive use)) · kix tàushûa (alloy of copper and zinc) · hu sárgaréz (alloy of copper and zinc) · ms tembaga kuning (alloy of copper and zinc) · no stål (slang: money) · nrf jaûne tchuivre (alloy of copper and zinc) · sv kosing (slang: money) · bg месингов (made of brass (attributive use)) · eo latuna (made of brass (attributive use)) · kk жез (alloy of copper and zinc) · my ကြေးဝါ (alloy of copper and zinc) · es varo (slang: money) · ru ме́дные духовы́е инструме́нты (class of wind instruments) · sh месинган (made of brass (attributive use)) · ko 놋쇠 (alloy of copper and zinc) · ja 黄銅 (alloy of copper and zinc) · it gallonato (high-ranking military officers) · pt dinheiro (slang: money) · de messingen (made of brass (attributive use)) · ka თითბრისფერი (color of brass) · cs mosazný (made of brass (attributive use)) · hu sárgaréz (made of brass (attributive use)) · da messing (alloy of copper and zinc) · mi kuratea (alloy of copper and zinc) · nl messing (made of brass (attributive use)) · ky латунь (alloy of copper and zinc) · nl geelkoper (alloy of copper and zinc) · nrf trompettes (class of wind instruments) · be лату́нь (alloy of copper and zinc) · lv misiņš (alloy of copper and zinc) · de aus Messing (made of brass (attributive use)) · sh мједен (made of brass (attributive use)) · vo läten (alloy of copper and zinc) · unm wisaw-ahsëni (made of brass (attributive use)) · hu réz- (related to brass instruments (attributive use)) · hu réz- in rézfúvósok (class of wind instruments) · fa برنج (alloy of copper and zinc) · hy փող (class of wind instruments) · nl koperblazers (class of wind instruments) · gl cartexos (slang: money) · fr en laiton (made of brass (attributive use)) · gl gastón (spent shell casings) · es casquillo (spent shell casings) · la aurichalcum (alloy of copper and zinc) · hu zsozsó (slang: money) · ms loyang (alloy of copper and zinc) · ru духово́й (related to brass instruments (attributive use)) · bg пари (slang: money) · uk лату́нь (alloy of copper and zinc) · bg духови инструменти (class of wind instruments) · lt žálvaris (alloy of copper and zinc) · fi vaskipuhaltimet (class of wind instruments) · la aurichalcus (made of brass (attributive use)) · gv prash (alloy of copper and zinc) · uz latun (alloy of copper and zinc) · mn гууль (color of brass) · sk mosadz (alloy of copper and zinc) · nl brons (color of brass) · it bronzo (color of brass) · ml പിച്ചള (alloy of copper and zinc) · sh mjed (alloy of copper and zinc) · eo latuno (alloy of copper and zinc) · de Blechblasinstrumente (class of wind instruments) · ast azofre (alloy of copper and zinc) · vi đồng thau (alloy of copper and zinc) · hu szemtelenség (informal: a brave or foolhardy attitude) · es latón (alloy of copper and zinc) · crh cez (alloy of copper and zinc) · it faccia tosta (informal: a brave or foolhardy attitude) · pl instrument dęty blaszany (class of wind instruments) · it faccia di bronzo (informal: a brave or foolhardy attitude) · cmn 黃銅 /黄铜 (alloy of copper and zinc) · el ορείχαλκος (alloy of copper and zinc) · cs žestě (class of wind instruments) · es alatón (alloy of copper and zinc) · pl łuska (spent shell casings) · nb messing (class of wind instruments) · de Generalität (high-ranking military officers) · ru лату́нь (alloy of copper and zinc) · ja 真鍮 (alloy of copper and zinc) · ur پیتل (alloy of copper and zinc) · tk bürünç (alloy of copper and zinc) · pl mosiądz (alloy of copper and zinc) · sh mjeden (made of brass (attributive use)) · ca llautó (alloy of copper and zinc) · chr ᏣᏱ (alloy of copper and zinc) · fi hylsy (spent shell casings) · fr cuivres (class of wind instruments) · chr ᏣᏱ-ᎠᏑᏫᏓ (color of brass) · ca metall (class of wind instruments) · pt de latão (made of brass (attributive use)) · ms kuningan (alloy of copper and zinc) · gd pràis (alloy of copper and zinc) · ka თითბერი (alloy of copper and zinc) · hu steksz (slang: money) · nv béésh łitsoii (alloy of copper and zinc) · hy արույր (alloy of copper and zinc) · sh mesingan (made of brass (attributive use)) · ccp 𑄛𑄨𑄘𑄮𑄣𑄴 (alloy of copper and zinc) · bg нахалство (informal: a brave or foolhardy attitude) · gl azofar (alloy of copper and zinc) · hi पीतल (alloy of copper and zinc) · de Blech (class of wind instruments) · ga prás (alloy of copper and zinc) · nl geelkoperen (made of brass (attributive use)) · pt bronze (color of brass) · bn পিতল (alloy of copper and zinc) · es plata (slang: money) · unm wisaw-ahsën (alloy of copper and zinc) · hu messing (alloy of copper and zinc) · mn гуулин хөгжмийн (related to brass instruments (attributive use)) · bg безсрамие (informal: a brave or foolhardy attitude) · pt metais (class of wind instruments) · az bürünc (alloy of copper and zinc) · es azófar (alloy of copper and zinc) · sh мед (alloy of copper and zinc) · eu letoi (alloy of copper and zinc) · no messing (color of brass) · sh meden (made of brass (attributive use)) · tpw itaîubaíba (alloy of copper and zinc) · ar شَبَه (alloy of copper and zinc) · cs žesťový (related to brass instruments (attributive use)) · th ทองเหลือง (color of brass) · es pasta (slang: money) · sh мјед (alloy of copper and zinc) · de Messingfarbe (color of brass) · la orichalcus (made of brass (attributive use)) · xcl արոյր (alloy of copper and zinc) · mn сумны хонгио (spent shell casings) · nrf pâlîn (alloy of copper and zinc) · nv dilní daabééshígíí (class of wind instruments) · sq tunxh (alloy of copper and zinc) · tr pirinç (alloy of copper and zinc) · mn гууль (alloy of copper and zinc) · sh mesing (alloy of copper and zinc) · sk papaláši (high-ranking military officers) · bo རག (alloy of copper and zinc) · cs mosaz (alloy of copper and zinc) · fa برنجی (made of brass (attributive use)) · hu dohány (slang: money) · mk месинг (alloy of copper and zinc) · fo messing (alloy of copper and zinc) · nb messing (alloy of copper and zinc) · km ទង់ដែង (alloy of copper and zinc) · es cobres (class of wind instruments) · mn гуулин (made of brass (attributive use)) · ar صُفْر (alloy of copper and zinc) · fi messinki (alloy of copper and zinc) · bg гилза (spent shell casings)
From Middle English bras, bres, from Old English bræs (“brass, bronze”), of uncertain origin. Perhaps representing a backformation from Proto-Germanic *brasnaz (“brazen”), from or related to *brasō (“fire, pyre”). Compare Old Norse and Icelandic bras (“solder”), Icelandic brasa (“to harden in the fire”), Swedish brasa (“a small controlled fire”), Danish brase (“to fry”); French braser ("to solder"; > English braise) from the same Germanic root. Compare also Middle Dutch braspenninc ("a silver coin", literally, "silver-penny"; > Dutch braspenning), Old Frisian bress (“copper”), Middle Low German bras (“metal, ore”) and برنج (branj, “brass”)
In the military sense an ellipsis of the brass hats.
By ellipsis from brass nail, in turn from "nail[ing]" (fig.) and "brass blonde" (see "brazen"); and also shortened from Cockney Rhyming slang brass flute for "prostitute".
By ellipsis from brass nail, in turn from "nail[ing]" (fig.) and "brass blonde" (see "brazen"); and also shortened from Cockney Rhyming slang brass flute for "prostitute".
Meanings
(countable, slang, usually) A prostitute.
Health service glasses, gigolos and brasses, round or skinny bottoms 1979, Chaz Jankel, Davey Payne & Ian Dury, “Reasons to be Cheerful, Part 3”, in Do It Yourself, performed by Ian Dury and the Blockheads:
Richard didn't want the man on the corner to go up and fuck one of the brasses. 1996, Will Self, The Sweet Smell of Psychosis, Bloomsbury, published 2011, page 2:
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brasses
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Translations (3)
hu ribanc (slang: a prostitute) · pt prostituta (slang: a prostitute) · hu lotyó (slang: a prostitute)
From Portuguese braça and Spanish braza, from Old Galician-Portuguese and Old Spanish braça, from Latin brachia, variant of bracchium (“arm, cubit”), from Ancient Greek βραχίων (brakhíōn, “upper arm”).
Meanings
(historical, obsolete) Synonym of brace, a traditional unit of measure equivalent to a fathom (6 feet) or about 1.6 m, especially as the Spanish braza and Portuguese braça, also French brasse.