brush en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- brŭsh
- brĕsh (dialectal, obsolete)
- /bɹʊʃ/ (Northern-England)
- /bɹɐʃ/ (Australia, New-Zealand)
- (General-American) audio
- /bɹʌʃ/ (General-American, Received-Pronunciation)
- /bɹɛʃ/ (dialectal, obsolete)
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *bʰers- Proto-Indo-European *-tis Proto-Indo-European *bʰr̥stís Proto-Germanic *bʰurstís Proto-Germanic *burstiz Frankish *burstibor. Vulgar Latin *brustia Old French broissebor. Middle English brusshe English brush From Middle English brusshe, from Old French broisse (Modern French brosse), from Vulgar Latin *brustia, from Frankish *bursti, from Proto-Germanic *burstiz (“bristle”), or also Vulgar Latin *bruscia, from Proto-Germanic *bruskaz (“tuft, thicket, underbrush”), which could be from Proto-Indo-European *bʰrusgo-.
Meanings
- (countable, uncountable) An implement consisting of multiple more or less flexible bristles or other filaments attached to a handle, used for any of various purposes including cleaning, painting, and arranging hair.
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(countable, uncountable) The act of brushing something.
She gave her hair a quick brush.
as leaves Do on the oak, have with one winter's brush Fell from their boughs
c. 1605–1608 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life of Tymon of Athens”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iii], page 92:
- (countable, uncountable) A piece of conductive material, usually carbon, serving to maintain electrical contact between the stationary and rotating parts of a machine.
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(countable, uncountable) A brush-like electrical discharge of sparks.
If there was a sharp point nearby, electricity would stream from it in a luminous brush, a little corposant, and one could blow out candles with the outstreaming “electric wind,” or even get this to turn a little rotor on its pivot.
2001, Oliver Sacks, Uncle Tungsten: Memories of a Chemical Boyhood:
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(uncountable) Wild vegetation, generally larger than grass but smaller than trees. See shrubland.
One typical Grecian kiln engorged one thousand muleloads of juniper wood in a single burn. Fifty such kilns would devour six thousand metric tons of trees and brush annually.
2006, Edwin Black, chapter 2, in Internal Combustion:We broke away toward the north, the tribe howling on our track. Across the open spaces we gained, and in the brush they caught up with us, and more than once it was nip and tuck.
1906, Jack London, Before Adam, chapter 12
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(countable, uncountable) A short, possibly recurrent encounter or experience.
He has had brushes with communism from time to time.
The usual visual grammar was in place – a carpet in the street, people in paddocks awaiting a brush with something glamorous, blokes with earpieces, birds in frocks of colliding colours that if sighted in nature would indicate the presence of poison.
2013 September 13, Russell Brand, “Russell Brand and the GQ awards: 'It's amazing how absurd it seems'”, in The Guardian:brush with death
He fell seriously ill at 21 with pneumonia and doctors feared for his life. Three cysts were found on his right lung and part of it was removed in a brutal operation. The brush with death strengthened his determination to become a priest and he entered a Jesuit seminary soon afterwards.
2025 April 21, Peter Stanford, “Pope Francis obituary”, in The Guardian:
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(countable, uncountable) The furry tail of an animal, especially of a fox.
They burned the old gun that used to stand in the dark corner up in the garret, close to the stuffed fox that always grinned so fiercely. Perhaps the reason why he seemed in such a ghastly rage was that he did not come by his death fairly. Otherwise his pelt would not have been so perfect. And why else was he put away up there out of sight?—and so magnificent a brush as he had too.
1879, R[ichard] J[efferies], chapter 1, in The Amateur Poacher, London: Smith, Elder, & Co., […], →OCLC:it is curious to remark that a fox, when pleased, expresses his pleasure by wagging his brush, as a dog wags his tail.
1866, Francis Trevelyan Buckland, Curiosities of Natural History:We terrified the mare and foal; The fox stood still and far too bold - So we strung him up, brush neatly folded Mayhem, maybe.
1988, “Mayhem Maybe”, in Ian Anderson (music), 20 Years of Jethro Tull, performed by Jethro Tull:
- (countable, uncountable) A tuft of hair on the mandibles.
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(archaic, countable, uncountable) A short contest, or trial, of speed.
[…] got into a brush with a fast British cutter as they approached Cowes […]
1950, Think, volumes 16-17, page 34:1860, Anthony Trollope, Framley Parsonage (originally published in Cornhill Magazine Mark and Lord Lufton had been boys together, and his lordship knew that Mark in his heart would enjoy a brush across the country quite as well as he himself.
- (countable, uncountable) An instrument, resembling a brush, used to produce a soft sound from drums or cymbals.
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(countable, uncountable) An on-screen tool for "painting" a particular colour or texture.
Your bitmap image appears along the painted stroke. If you'd like to permanently create a custom sprite brush, it's fairly easy to adapt an existing MEL file[…].
2007, Lee Lanier, Maya Professional Tips and Techniques, page 12:
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(countable, uncountable) A set of defined design and parameters that produce drawn strokes of a certain texture and quality.
to download brushes for Photoshop
- (countable, uncountable) In 3D video games, a convex polyhedron, especially one that defines structure of the play area.
- (countable, slang, uncountable) The floorperson of a poker room, usually in a casino.
- (qualifier:North Wisconsin, uncountable) Evergreen boughs, especially balsam, locally cut and baled for export, usually for use in making wreaths.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| brushes | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Coordinates
Deriveds
bean-brush · brush-down · brush-tailed · cryobrush · brush blade · brush one's teeth · finger brush · brushwheel · touch of the tar brush · brushcutter · clothes brush · slicker brush · western brush wallaby · brush up to · bitterbrush · bottlebrush · brushland · tar with the same brush · red brush · brushwork · buckbrush · brushlike · sagebrush · brush away · mushroom brush · brushman · air brush · brushwood · brush-tailed phascogale · beebrush · mad as a brush · Brushy Creek · wire-brush · brushstroke · lampbrush · brush something under the rug · brush past · airbrush · air-brush · snowbrush · hair-brush · brush cuckoo · brushful · brushware · lens brush · brushmark · bristle brush · brush-pen · brushability · bottle brush · pot scrubber brush · brush-furred mouse · scratchbrush · broad-brush · Mungo Brush · kabuki brush · scrub brush · tar-brush · beard brush · wire brush · hatbrush · shaving brush · Possum Brush · dandy brush · bog brush · shoe brush · brushy · brushwise · toilet brush · butt-brush effect · brush fence · paint with the same brush · dustpan and brush · brushtail · antelope brush · scratch-brush · drybrush · give someone the brush-off · brushfinch · brush warbler · brushbot · rabbitbrush · brush-tailed possum · inkbrush · paint with a broad brush · brush up · brush talk · clothes-brush · cytobrush · tongue brush · brushfire · brushmaker · brushmaking · brush bow · bath-brush · brush rabbit · flesh brush · broad brush · underbrush · shave brush · paint with a wide brush · brush-tailed mouse · lavatory brush · sponge brush · brush border · badgerbrush · horsebrush · camel-hair brush · spoolie brush · brush-making · shoeshine brush · brush coral · brushbar · brush fire · scrubbing brush · shoe shine brush · brush-fire · comb-brush · microbrush · nailbrush · Cedar Brush Creek · brush-footed butterfly · live over the brush · brush-turkey · brush-tailed penguin · brush wheel · daft as a brush · brushless · clothesbrush · brush pen · brush truck · brush-tailed porcupine · brush bronzewing · brushproof · toothbrush · tarbrush · paintbrush · brush-up · gun brush · dustbrush · cobweb brush · brush wolf · sage brush · hairbrush · brush head (brush) · brush cut · brush turkey · scouring brush · coyote brush · scratch brush · as daft as a brush · spool brush · brush hook
Descendants
bùr̃ōshī̀ · brooas · bras · ബ്രഷ് · bras · ブラシ · burashi · bras
Synonyms
Translations (277)
hy վրձին (implement) · vo glimükamakef (implement) · es pincel (implement) · fi harjaus (act of brushing) · kmr firçe (implement) · ko 필 (implement for writing) · fi harja (music: instrument) · el πινέλο (implement) · nv béʼézhóóʼ (hairbrush) (implement) · nl (paint-) verfborstel (implement) · et hari (implement) · pl szczotka (implement) · fi hankaus (short experience) · hu (paint-) ecset (implement) · el βούρτσισμα (act of brushing) · sh četkanje (act of brushing) · lv (paint-) ota (implement) · vo frotakef (implement) · bg гъсталак (wild vegetation) · ro periat (act of brushing) · aii ܟ̰ܘܿܬܩܵܐ (implement) · nv ké bee yilzhóhí (implement) · vo lavädakef (implement) · he הברשה (act of brushing) · as ব্ৰাচ (implement) · ce ехк (implement) · sh kičica (implement) · pt pincelada (act of brushing) · de Gestrüpp (wild vegetation) · it incontro (short experience) · uz choʻtka (implement) · pl pędzel (implement) · pt escovadela (act of brushing) · pl czesanie (act of brushing) · ka ფუნჯი (implement) · sv borste (implement) · pt encontro (short experience) · hi ब्रश (implement) · vo veluvakef (implement) · gd sguab (implement) · mn ᠪᠢᠷ (implement for writing) · sh kist (implement) · nv bee alzhóhí (implement) · cmn 刷 (implement) · bg четка (implement for writing) · bg четкане (act of brushing) · ko 브러시 (implement) · lo ຟອຽ (implement) · de Gebüsch (wild vegetation) · pdt Barscht (implement) · sh кичица (implement) · sh четка (implement) · cs setkání (short experience) · lt teptukas (implement) · vo heremikef (implement) · es brocha (implement) · tg чӯтка (implement) · sl čopič (implement) · pt escovada (act of brushing) · it pennello (implement) · ky щетка (implement) · gl bramal (wild vegetation) · io pinselo (implement) · kl børsti (implement) · afb فرشة (implement) · ru кисть (implement) · inh ехк (implement) · hu kefe (implement) · cs štětka (implement) · vo svipül (implement) · bg че́тка (implement) · pt brocha (implement) · hu seprű (implement) · sv pensel (implement) · fo bust (implement) · vo jukikef (implement) · uz tarash (music: instrument) · sh četkica (implement) · mn багс (implement) · bar Bembsl (implement) · el θαμνότοπος (wild vegetation) · ltg (paint-) tepeklis (implement) · vo leröbakef (implement) · ro (paint-) pensulă (implement) · cs podrost (wild vegetation) · cs potyčka (short experience) · da børste (act of brushing) · ru куста́рник (wild vegetation) · nv beeʼadleeshí (implement) · ltg suseklis (implement) · unm ahëwe (wild vegetation) · el λόχμη (wild vegetation) · el ουρά (furry tail) · lv suka (implement) · bg стълкновение (short experience) · ar فُرْشَاة (implement) · fa برس (implement) · es cepillado (act of brushing) · lo ຟອຍ (implement) · nb børste (implement) · scn pinzeḍḍu (implement) · sk kefa (electrical contact) · nl borstel (electrical contact) · be пэ́ндзаль (implement) · bo ཕག་འདོ (implement) · es matorral (wild vegetation) · as তুলি (implement) · id sikat (implement) · ja ブラシがけ (act of brushing) · ka ჯაგრისი (implement) · izh harja (implement) · ja 尾 (furry tail) · gl bouza (wild vegetation) · de Standarte (furry tail) · vo dratakef (implement) · ru куст (wild vegetation) · fi sivellin (implement) · ru щётка (implement) · vo lekluinakef (implement) · he מִבְרֶשֶׁת (implement) · cs kartáč (implement) · fr buisson (wild vegetation) · es sedera (implement) · nl borstel (implement) · fr brosse (implement) · mn сойз (implement) · bn ব্রাশ (implement) · ml ബ്രഷ് (implement) · hi झाड़ू (implement) · my ဝက်မှင်ဘီး (implement) · izh šotka (implement) · az fırça (implement) · cmn 笔 (implement for writing) · kk қылшақ (implement) · hy խոզանակ (implement) · gl bascullo (electrical contact) · sk štetec (implement) · fi suti (implement) · ota فرچه (implement) · es encuentro (short experience) · lt šepetys (implement) · kmr havlêk (implement) · yue 刷 (implement) · et pintsel (implement) · gl brus (implement) · it scontro (short experience) · th แปรง (implement) · de Bürste (implement) · pl szczotka (electrical contact) · pt mato (wild vegetation) · mi heu (wild vegetation) · sw burashi (implement) · kmr rînek (implement) · lad furcha (implement) · fi suka (implement) · bg опашка (furry tail) · gd sguabadh (act of brushing) · te కుంచె (implement) · ja 刷毛 (implement) · gl piaxá (implement) · ja ブラシ (electrical contact) · eo peniko (implement) · ja 刷子 (electrical contact) · fi pusikko (wild vegetation) · sk kefa (implement) · ro perie (implement) · hu kefélés (act of brushing) · eo broso (implement) · ja ブラシ (implement) · lb Biischt (implement) · fi kosketus (short experience) · sk štetka (implement) · nl (hair-) haarborstel (implement) · ckb فرچە (implement) · sw brashi (implement) · km សោធនី (implement) · sh četkica (electrical contact) · tr fırça (implement) · ko 솔 (implement) · tk çotga (implement) · bg четка (electrical contact) · fi vispilä (music: instrument) · vi bàn chải (implement) · ru труба́ (furry tail) · fi harja (implement) · sq furçë (implement) · de (paint-) Pinsel (implement) · nv ééʼ bee yilzhóhí (implement) · es escobilla (implement) · gl guelmo (wild vegetation) · fr brossage (act of brushing) · dtp burus (implement) · gl brusa (implement) · fa شت (implement) · ca raspallar (act of brushing) · ro perie (electrical contact) · ja 磨き (act of brushing) · es bruza (implement) · mnc ᡶᡳ (implement for writing) · is pensill m bursti (hair-) (implement) · vi bút lông (implement for writing) · mi heuheu (wild vegetation) · pt pincel (implement) · ja 刷子 (implement) · sk kefka (implement) · gl brocha (implement) · hi बुरुश (implement) · az şotka (implement) · izh kistocka (implement for writing) · uk щі́тка (implement) · fi pensaikko (wild vegetation) · ur برش (implement) · nl struikgewas (wild vegetation) · sh четкица (electrical contact) · my စုတ် (implement) · nl (tooth-) tandenborstel (implement) · acw فُرْشة (implement) · is hárbursti m tannbursti (tooth-) (implement) · ru столкновение (short experience) · pt escova (electrical contact) · da børste (implement) · fi pöheikkö (wild vegetation) · vo miotakef (implement) · pt escovamento (act of brushing) · vo tutikef (implement) · alt щётка (implement) · pt escova (implement) · es roce (short experience) · pl kita (furry tail) · br broust (implement) · af kwas (implement) · cmn 刷子 (implement) · uz choʻtkalash (music: instrument) · fr accrochage (short experience) · mn бийр (implement for writing) · io brosilo (implement) · fi pörröhäntä (furry tail) · sl krtača (implement) · fa فرچه (implement) · tl sipilyo (implement) · cs štětec (implement) · de Bürste (electrical contact) · ka ყალამი (implement) · mk четка (implement) · gl touceira (wild vegetation) · gl fananco (wild vegetation) · ms berus (implement) · vo pensit (implement) · ru щётка (electrical contact) · la pēnicillum (implement) · sh četka (implement) · sh žbun (wild vegetation) · as বুৰুজ (implement) · de Lunte (furry tail) · gl matogueira (wild vegetation) · vi cọ (implement) · sh žbunje (wild vegetation) · kk щетка (implement) · gl mufedo (wild vegetation) · it spazzola (implement) · af borsel (implement) · fi harja (electrical contact) · uk пе́нзель (implement) · ja 筆 (implement for writing) · ca raspall (implement) · tl pinsel (implement) · es escobilla (electrical contact) · gl mato (wild vegetation) · sh кист (implement) · be шчо́тка (implement) · ko 붓 (implement for writing) · sh четкица (implement) · el βούρτσα (implement) · pl szczotkowanie (act of brushing) · de Busch (wild vegetation) · vo kef (implement) · es cepillo (implement)