brass
/brɑːs/ (bre, ipa) · /bræs/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈbras/ (ame, mw)
brass — noun
- brasssingular
- brassesplural
1. a hard yellow metal formed by mixing copper with zinc, often used for instrument
a hard yellow metal formed by mixing copper with zinc, often used for instruments, handles, and other shiny fittings.
The old door still had brass handles that gleamed in the afternoon sun.
collocation: brass handles
Selim bought a small brass lamp for the reading corner.
Brass does not rust like iron, so the sign lasted longer.
The factory mixes copper and zinc to produce sheets of brass.
文法句型
brass + singular verb
made of brass
sheet/piece of brass
用法筆記
Usually uncountable when you mean the material in general. Use it with a singular verb in statements about the metal itself.
常見錯誤
2. the trumpets, trombones, horns, and similar metal wind instruments in an ensembl
the trumpets, trombones, horns, and similar metal wind instruments in an ensemble, or the musicians responsible for those parts.
The brass came in after the drums and lifted the whole march.
collective noun: the brass
Maeve plays with the brass in the city youth orchestra.
During rehearsal, the brass missed the last note of the fanfare.
The conductor asked the brass to play that passage more softly.
- brass section
the more explicit term in orchestra and band talk
- brass players
focuses on the musicians rather than the instruments
- strings
the section of bowed instruments in the same ensemble
文法句型
the brass + plural verb
play with the brass
用法筆記
Often treated as a group name in music settings. It can refer to the instruments themselves or to the players as one section.
常見錯誤
3. decorative or useful things made of brass, such as handles, lamps, ornaments, an
decorative or useful things made of brass, such as handles, lamps, ornaments, and other metal fittings.
The antique shop sold polished brass beside silver bowls and mirrors.
collocation: polished brass
Nia cleaned all the brass before the hotel guests arrived.
The cabin's brass looked bright again after one careful polish.
Workers wrapped the brass in paper before moving the old lamps.
文法句型
clean the brass
polished brass
all the brass
用法筆記
This collective sense talks about brass fittings or ornaments together, not about the metal as a raw material. It commonly appears with cleaning or polishing verbs.
4. the senior people who hold the real power in a company, government office, or mi
the senior people who hold the real power in a company, government office, or military group.
The brass approved the merger before the wider staff heard about it.
collective noun: the brass
Selim was nervous when the brass arrived for the factory inspection.
No one wanted to tell the brass that the project was failing.
At lunch, the brass sat apart from the junior officers.
- management
a broader and more neutral word for those running an organization
- leadership
more formal and less slangy than 'the brass'
- top brass
the fixed expression most commonly used for this idea
- rank and file
ordinary members or workers below the leadership level
文法句型
the brass + plural verb
tell the brass that-clause
用法筆記
Usually appears as 'the brass' in an informal tone. It refers to top decision-makers as a group, not to one manager by themself.
常見錯誤
5. a rude kind of boldness that shows no shame, respect, or fear.
a rude kind of boldness that shows no shame, respect, or fear.
Yan had the brass to laugh after breaking the neighbor's window.
pattern: have the brass to + verb
Jessica showed real brass when she interrupted the teacher and demanded an apology.
The salesman had enough brass to return a used phone for cash.
After lying all week, Christopher still had the brass to complain.
- timidity
lack of confidence or courage
文法句型
have the brass to + verb
show real brass
用法筆記
Commonly appears in patterns like 'have the brass to do something'. It is more critical than simply saying someone is confident.
常見錯誤
6. money, especially when someone is speaking in an old-fashioned or British inform
money, especially when someone is speaking in an old-fashioned or British informal way.
The café does not have enough brass to replace its broken oven.
informal British: enough brass
Pim saved every bit of brass from summer jobs at the beach.
The cousins borrowed some brass from an uncle to open the food stall.
Without more brass, the band could not pay for the tour bus.
文法句型
have enough brass
borrow some brass
more brass
用法筆記
This sense is chiefly British and noticeably informal. It sounds old-fashioned in many modern contexts, so neutral 'money' is safer for everyday use.
常見錯誤
7. a flat brass plaque fixed to the floor or wall of a church to remember a dead pe
a flat brass plaque fixed to the floor or wall of a church to remember a dead person, often with words or an engraved picture.
Visitors stopped to read the brass set into the church floor.
collocation: brass set into the church floor
A worn brass on the wall marked where the knight was buried.
The guide pointed out a fifteenth-century brass beside the altar.
Dust had gathered around the brass marking the old bishop's resting place.
文法句型
a brass
brass on the floor
brass on the wall
用法筆記
This historical sense is mainly found in church, museum, and architecture contexts. It refers to one memorial plaque, not to brass objects in general.
brass — adjective
- brasspositive
- brassercomparative
- brassestsuperlative
1. made from brass rather than from another metal or material.
made from brass rather than from another metal or material.
The museum keeps a brass astrolabe in a locked glass case.
collocation: brass astrolabe
Maeve bought brass hooks for the coat rack by the door.
A brass key hung from a red ribbon tied around the box.
Rain darkened the brass railing outside the old station.
文法句型
brass + noun
用法筆記
Usually comes before the noun it describes. If you only mean the colour, use a phrase such as 'brass-coloured' instead.
常見錯誤
2. written for, played by, or made up of instruments such as trumpets, trombones, a
written for, played by, or made up of instruments such as trumpets, trombones, and horns.
The school band played a bright brass arrangement of the folk song.
collocation: brass arrangement
Joaquín practices with a brass quintet every Thursday evening.
The festival opened with a short brass fanfare by local students.
Élise's new piece mixes strings and brass passages in the final movement.
- horn
an informal musical label, but it usually refers to the players or parts rather than the whole family
- string
used for music written for or played by string instruments
文法句型
brass + band/quintet/fanfare
brass + noun
用法筆記
This music sense describes ensembles, pieces, or passages connected with brass instruments. It does not simply mean 'made of brass metal'.