Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

brush off

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.22 in modern English

Syllables: brush off
IPA

19

Scrabble Score

8

Letters

1

Syllables

7

Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To disregard (something), to dismiss or ignore (someone), as unimportant.

verb

To depart with a sweeping motion; to rush away.

Dated

verb

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see brush, off. To remove something with a brush.

noun

Nonstandard spelling of brush-off.

Example Sentences

"Again I begged her to keep an eye on her blood pressure and not get so worked up, and once more she brushed me off, this time with a curt request that I would go and boil my head."
"In a statement sent to the Guardian early on Friday, hours before Trump’s post was taken down, Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, attempted to brush off the outrage."
"Thus, ſeizing his hat, he bruſh’d off like the wind, / And the Porter and Eatables follow’d behind."

Usage

Dated

Inflected Forms

brushes off (present, singular) brushing off (participle, present) brushed off (participle, past) brushed off (past) brush offs (plural)

Derived Forms

brushoff

Phrases

brush-off

Synonyms

shrug off dismiss disregard brush aside discount push aside ignore

Questions

What does brush off mean?: To disregard (something), to dismiss or ignore (someone), as unimportant.

How to pronounce brush off

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “brush off”.
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