Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

brush

2 verb
     
brush
brush2
1

clean/make tidy

[transitive] to clean something or make something smooth and tidy using a brush [↪ sweep]:
Don't forget to brush your teeth.
2

remove

[transitive always + adverb/preposition] to remove something with a brush or with your hand
brush something off/from etc something
Ella brushed the crumbs off her jacket.
He brushed the tears from his eyes.
3

touch lightly

[intransitive always + adverb/preposition, transitive] to touch someone or something lightly when passing them:
Something brushed her shoulders.
brush against
I felt her hair brush against my arm.
brush past
Nell brushed past him in the doorway.
4

put something on something

[transitive always + adverb/preposition] to put a liquid onto something using a brush
brush something with something
Brush the pastry with milk.
brush something over/onto something
Brush a little oil over the top of the pizza.

➔ brush something under the carpet

at sweep1 (15)

brush somebody/something ↔ aside

phrasal verb
to refuse to listen to someone, or refuse to consider something [= dismiss]:
He simply brushed all my objections aside.

brush somebody/something ↔ down

phrasal verb
1 to clean something using a brush:
He was brushing the pony down.
2

brush yourself down

to use your hands to remove dirt from your clothes, especially after you have fallen

brush somebody/something ↔ off

phrasal verb
to refuse to listen to someone or their ideas, especially by ignoring them or saying something rude:
Corman brushed off the accusations.
 ➔ brush-off

brush up (on) something

phrasal verb
to practise and improve your skills or your knowledge of something that you learned in the past:
I must brush up on my French before I go to Paris.
WORD FOCUS: clean WORD FOCUS: clean
wash with soap and water
wipe with a damp cloth
brush with a brush to remove the dirt
polish by rubbing with a cloth
scrub by rubbing hard
sweep with a broom
mop with water and a mop (a tool with a long handle)
vacuum also hoover British English with a machine that sucks up dust
disinfect using chemicals to kill germs
cleanse to clean your skin using a special cream
rinse to put water on to remove dirt or soap
dust to remove dust, for example with a cloth

➔ See also clean
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.
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