[bruhsh-awf, -of] 
| a refusal to talk or listen to someone; abrupt or final dismissal or rebuff. |
[bruhsh] | 1. | an implement consisting of bristles, hair, or the like, set in or attached to a handle, used for painting, cleaning, polishing, grooming, etc. |
| 2. | one of a pair of devices consisting of long, thin handles with wire bristles attached, used in jazz or dance bands for keeping a soft, rhythmic beat on the trap drums or the cymbals. |
| 3. | the bushy tail of an animal, esp. of a fox. |
| 4. | Electricity.
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| 5. | a feathery or hairy tuft or tassel, as on the tip of a kernel of grain or on a man's hat. |
| 6. | an act or instance of brushing; application of a brush. |
| 7. | a light, stroking touch. |
| 8. | a brief encounter: He has already had one brush with the law. |
| 9. | a close approach, esp. to something undesirable or harmful: a brush with disaster. |
| 10. | to sweep, paint, clean, polish, etc., with a brush. |
| 11. | to touch lightly in passing; pass lightly over: His lips brushed her ear. |
| 12. | to remove by brushing or by lightly passing over: His hand brushed a speck of lint from his coat. |
| 13. | to move or skim with a slight contact. |
| 14. | brush aside, to disregard; ignore: Our complaints were simply brushed aside. |
| 15. | brush off, to rebuff; send away: She had never been brushed off so rudely before. |
| 16. | brush up on, to revive, review, or resume (studies, a skill, etc.): She's thinking of brushing up on her tennis. Also, brush up. |
| 17. | get the brush, to be rejected or rebuffed: She greeted Jim effusively, but I got the brush. |
| 18. | give the brush, to ignore, rebuff, etc.: If you're still angry with him, give him the brush. |
brush
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brush off
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).