brass

Everyday

1. Brass is a shiny yellow metal made by mixing copper and zinc. tree →
2. The brass, or brass instruments, are musical instruments like trumpets and trombones that you blow into. tree →
3. (UK slang) Money: «Where there's muck, there's brass». tree →
4. (informal) The top brass are the most important people in charge, such as senior officers or bosses. tree →
5. (informal) Brass, or brass neck, means boldness that is rude: «He had the brass neck to ask for more». tree →

In the lessons

In science brass is an example of an alloy, a mix of metals, and it does not rust like iron. In music lessons the brass section is part of the band or orchestra. In everyday life we see brass in door handles, taps, keys and buttons. Phrases: brass band, top brass, get down to brass tacks (talk about the real facts), brass neck, as bold as brass, brassed off (UK: annoyed).

Examples

• The old door had a shiny brass knocker. tree →
• My sister plays the trumpet in the school brass band. tree →
• Brass is made from copper and zinc. tree →
• The top brass came to visit the factory. tree →
• Let's get down to brass tacks and decide who does what. tree →
• He walked in as bold as brass without knocking. tree →
• I'm proper brassed off with this homework. tree →
• Grandad says there's good brass in fixing cars. tree →
• It was a blue jacket with brass buttons, quite new. tree →

Note

Uncountable in the metal sense: «some brass», not «a brass». «Brassed off» and «brass» for money are British and informal. Brass is not gold, even though it looks golden. Do not confuse with «bronze», which is copper and tin.

In Jewish tradition

In the old translation "brass" really means copper or bronze, the metal used for the altar's covering, the sockets and basins of the Tabernacle. In the later books it is also a picture of hardness and strength.

Interpretation. Tradition remembers that the copper altar and basin were made for the Tabernacle, and that the copper came from the mirrors of the women. Job asks if his flesh is brass, and says the sea monster treats brass as rotten wood, pictures of great strength.

Examples

• And he made the staves of acacia-wood, and overlaid them with brass. (Torah EXO.38.6, JPS 1917) tree →
• to devise skilful works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, (Torah EXO.31.4, JPS 1917) tree →
• And to devise skilful works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, (Torah EXO.35.32, JPS 1917) tree →
• Can iron break iron from the north and brass? (Prophets JER.15.12, JPS 1917) tree →
• He esteemeth iron as straw, and brass as rotten wood. (Writings JOB.41.19, JPS 1917) tree →
• Is my strength the strength of stones? or is my flesh of brass? (Writings JOB.6.12, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

Uncountable in the metal sense: «some brass», not «a brass». «Brassed off» and «brass» for money are British and informal. Brass is not gold, even though it looks golden. Do not confuse with «bronze», which is copper and tin.