brass
brass (bras, bräs)
noun pl. brass′es
- a yellowish metal that is essentially an alloy of copper and zinc
- things made of brass, as fittings, ornaments, or implements
- the brass instruments of an orchestra, band, etc., or the players of these instruments
- a brass memorial tablet
- Informal bold impudence; effrontery
- ☆ Slang
- military officers of high rank
- any high officials, executives, etc.
- Machinery the lining or bushing of a bearing
Etymology: ME bras < OE bræs, brass, bronze
adjective
- made of or containing brass
- designating a wind instrument, as a horn, trombone, trumpet, or tuba, made of a coiled metal tube and having a usually cup-shaped mouthpiece
- composed of or for such an instrument or instruments a brass choir
transitive verb
to coat with brass
brass
n.
An alloy of copper and zinc
copper alloy, pinchbeck, Muntz's metal, orichalc, mosaic gold, yellow metal, prince's metal, brass foil, brass leaf, brass powder; see also alloy.*High-ranking officials
officers, executives, front office, brass hats*; see administration 2, officer 3.*Impudence
effrontery, impertinence, audacity; see rudeness.
Converse of object
- etch: Alpha Launch Platform resin kit, Eagle Transporter is white metal with brass etched parts.
- burnish: The foot of the laver was made of burnished brass.
- emboss: Shown on the right is a set of heritage walk markers in embossed solid brass.
- engrave: Many brasses engraved between 1570 and 1585 are palimpsest, with brasses from the Low Countries on the reverse.
- polish: She tried to suppress this thought, and hide it by doing other things like polishing the brass.
Adjective modifier
- 20thc: South wall: splayed windows; 19thC and 20thC brass and marble plaques.
- monumental: There is still much to surprise the student of monumental brasses in the less visited parts of the English countryside.
- polished: The locks are solid brass, with polished brass plated metal fittings.
- 19thc: South wall: segmental sandstone arch to the splayed reveal of the doorway; two splayed window embrasures; and one 19thC brass.
- plated: This handsome replica is machined in chrome plated brass with copper, accented with die-cast metal detailed parts.
- solid: With fittings all made from solid brass, our products are really built to last!
Modifies a noun
- plaque: The brass plaque details ' Improved Steel Case ' .
- band: Does the school have a brass band which could perform?
- rubbing: Sadly brass rubbing at round church is no more.
- plate: He had his own reserved family pew with its brass plate to signify the fact.
- ensemble: Eugene Farrar Music offers high quality Jazz and small brass ensemble music, performed by highly skilled and experienced musicians.
- quintet: Unlike most brass quintets, Mardi Brass use only music composed or arranged specifically for the group.
Noun used with modifier
- cast: The cast brass handgrip has spear head shaped mounting plates and a good, curved grip.
- colliery: He imagines that the group might continue into the future, with generation succeeding generation like a factory or colliery brass band.
- memorial: Benefaction boards to either side of the door, and two restoration brasses of 1877 and 1913, and a 20thC memorial brass.
Thou,O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible. This image's head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his bellyand his thighs of brass.His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay. Thou sawest till that a stonewas cut out without hands, whichsmotetheimage upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces.
And she said,The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that the L was departed from him. But the Philistines took him, and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass; and he did grind in the prison house.
To the Glorious,Pious, and Immortal Memory of King William theThird,Prince of Orange, who delivered us from Popes and Popery, Knaves and Knavery, Slaves and Slavery, Brass Money, and Wooden Shoes, and He that Will Not Take thisToast May He Be Damn'd,Cramm'd, and Jamm'd Down the Great Gun of Athlone, and the Gun Fired in the Pope's Belly, and the Pope Fired in the Devil's Belly, and the Devil Fired into Hell, and the Door Lock'd, and the Key Forever in the Pocket of a Stout Orangeman. And Here's a Fart for the Bishop of Cork!
And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with golden girdle. His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. And when I saw him, I fell as his feet as dead.
And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and havenotcharity,Iam becomeassounding brass, ora tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all mygoodstofeed thepoor, and though Igivemy body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not herown, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
Yet is that glass so gay, that it can blind The wisest sight, to think gold that is brass.
Browse dictionary entries near brass
- brass band
- brass hat
- brass knuckles
- brass ring
- brass tacks
- brassard
- brassboard
- brasserie
- brasses
- brassie
