brush

Plural: brushes

Noun

• a dense growth of bushes
• an implement that has hairs or bristles firmly set into a handle
• momentary contact
• conducts current between rotating and stationary parts of a generator or motor
• a bushy tail or part of a bushy tail (especially of the fox)
• a minor short-term fight
• the act of brushing your teeth
  • "the dentist recommended two brushes a day"
• the act of brushing your hair
  • "he gave his hair a quick brush"
• contact with something dangerous or undesirable
  • "I had a brush with danger on my way to work"
  • "he tried to avoid any brushes with the police"
• 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.
• The act of brushing something.
• A piece of conductive material, usually carbon, serving to maintain electrical contact between the stationary and rotating parts of a machine.
• A brush-like electrical discharge of sparks.
• Wild vegetation, generally larger than grass but smaller than trees. See shrubland.
• A short and sometimes occasional encounter or experience.
• The furry tail of an animal, especially of a fox.
• A tuft of hair on the mandibles.
• A short contest, or trial, of speed.
• An instrument, resembling a brush, used to produce a soft sound from drums or cymbals.
• An on-screen tool for "painting" a particular colour or texture.
• A set of defined design and parameters that produce drawn strokes of a certain texture and quality.
• In 3D video games, a convex polyhedron, especially one that defines structure of the play area.
• The floorperson of a poker room, usually in a casino.
• Evergreen boughs, especially balsam, locally cut and baled for export, usually for use in making wreaths.

Verb

Verb Forms: brushed, brushing, brushes

• To touch lightly and quickly, often to clean or smooth.
• rub with a brush, or as if with a brush
  • "Johnson brushed the hairs from his jacket"
• touch lightly and briefly
  • "He brushed the wall lightly"
• clean with a brush
  • "She brushed the suit before hanging it back into the closet"
• sweep across or over
  • "Her long skirt brushed the floor"
• remove with or as if with a brush
  • "brush away the crumbs"
  • "brush the dust from the jacket"
  • "brush aside the objections"
• cover by brushing
  • "brush the bread with melted butter"
• To clean with a brush.
• To untangle or arrange with a brush.
• To apply with a brush.
• To remove with a sweeping motion.
• To touch with a sweeping motion, or lightly in passing.
• To clean one's teeth by brushing them.

Examples

• brush with death
• Brush your hair.
• Brush your teeth.
• He has had brushes with communism from time to time.
• He tried to brush off the bad draw of tiles, but his frustration was evident.
• Her scarf brushed his skin.
• I am brushing the paint onto the walls.
• She brushed the flour off my clothes.
• She gave her hair a quick brush.
• to download brushes for Photoshop

Synonyms

brushing, brushwood, clash, coppice, copse, encounter, light touch, skirmish, sweep, thicket, corposant

Related Words

broom, comb

Anagrams of brush