Link Centre Dictionary

brass

UK/bɹɑːs/ US/bɹas/ fairly common informal slang

noun

1.

an alloy of copper and zinc

2.

a wind instrument that consists of a brass tube (usually of variable length) that is blown by means of a cup-shaped or funnel-shaped mouthpiece

3.

the persons (or committees or departments etc.) who make up a body for the purpose of administering something

  • “he claims that the present administration is corrupt”
  • “the governance of an association is responsible to its members”
  • “he quickly became recognized as a member of the establishment”
Synonyms
4.

impudent aggressiveness

  • “I couldn”
  • “;”
Synonyms
5.
6.

the section of a band or orchestra that plays brass instruments

Synonyms
7.

Origin

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”). In the military sense an ellipsis of the brass hats.

Phrases

  • admiralty brass
  • alpha brass
  • antique brass
  • beta brass
  • bold as brass
  • bow-legged wi' brass
  • brass ankle
  • Brass Ankles

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WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.