brush something on Definition

brush
noun brushes

1. A tool with lengths of stiff nylon, wire, hair, bristles or something similar set into it, used for tidying the hair, cleaning, painting, etc.

Thesaurus: broom, whisk, sweeper, besom.
2. An act of brushing.

Example: Give your hair a brush
3. A light grazing contact.
4. A short encounter, especially a fight or disagreement; a skirmish.

Example: a brush with the law
Thesaurus: encounter, clash, conflict, confrontation, fracas, incident, skirmish, tussle.
5. A fox's bushy brush-like tail.
6. elec.
A metal or carbon conductor that maintains sliding contact between the stationary and moving parts of an electric motor or generator.
7. brushwood.

Thesaurus: undergrowth, scrub, shrubs, thicket, groundcover, brushwood, bushes.

verb brushed, brushing

1. To sweep, groom or clean, etc with a brush; to pass a brush over (eg the floor) or through (eg the hair).

Thesaurus: cleanse, buff, burnish, clean, polish, rub, shine.
2. To rub it or them with a brush, etc or with a sweeping movement, so as to remove dirt or dust, etc.

Form: brush something down (often)
Form: brush someone down
tr & intr
4. To touch it or them lightly in passing.

Thesaurus: touch, caress, graze, kiss, contact, sweep.
Form: brush against something (also)
Form: brush against someone

Derivative: brusher
noun

Derivative: brushed

Said of a fabric: treated by a brushing process so that it feels soft and warm.

Smoothed, rubbed, straightened, etc with a brush.

Derivative: brushing
noun

Etymology: 14c: from French brosse brushwood.

Phrasal Verb: brush something or someone aside

To dismiss or pay no attention to it or them.
Example: brushed aside all my objections

Phrasal Verb: brush something away

To remove it with a brush or a brushing movement.

Phrasal Verb: brush something or someone off

To ignore or refuse to listen to it or them. See also brush-off.

Phrasal Verb: brush something on

To apply it with a brush or a brushing movement.

Phrasal Verb: brush up

To make oneself clean or tidy one's appearance, etc. See also brush-up.

Phrasal Verb: brush something up or brush up on something

To improve or refresh one's knowledge of (a language or subject, etc).