brush off

brush off
verb
bar from attention or consideration
-

She dismissed his advances

• Syn: ↑dismiss, ↑disregard, ↑brush aside, ↑discount, ↑push aside, ↑ignore
• Derivationally related forms: ↑brush-off, ↑disregard (for: ↑disregard), ↑dismissive (for: ↑dismiss)
• Hypernyms: ↑reject
• Hyponyms:
• Verb Frames:
-

Somebody ——s something

-

Somebody ——s somebody

* * *

[verb]
ignore, disdain, dismiss, disregard, reject, repudiate, scorn, snub, spurn

* * *

ˌbrush ˈoff [transitive] [present tense I/you/we/they brush off he/she/it brushes off present participle brushing off past tense brushed off past participle brushed off] phrasal verb
to refuse to listen to someone, or to accept that something might be true or important

The Foreign Secretary brushed off suggestions that he had considered resigning.

I tried to tell him, but he just brushed me off.

Thesaurus: to fail or refuse to communicate with someonesynonym to refuse to think about, believe or accept somethingsynonym
Main entry: brush

* * *

brush off [phrasal verb]
1 brush (something) off or brush off (something) : to treat (something) as not important : to refuse to deal with or talk about (something) in a serious way

The company brushed off [=brushed aside] reports that it couldn't pay its bills.

2 brush (someone) off or brush off (someone) : to respond to (someone) in a rude way that shows you are not interested in what is being asked for or suggested

I asked him for some help, but he just brushed me off.

— see also ↑brush-off
• • •
Main Entry: ↑brush

* * *

ˌbrush ˈoff derived
to be removed by brushing

•

Mud brushes off easily when it is dry.

Main entry: ↑brushderived

Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • brush\ off — • brush off • give the brush off v. phr. 1. To refuse to hear or believe; quickly and impatiently; not take seriously or think important. John brushed off Bill s warning that he might fall from the tree. I said that it might rain and to take the… …   Словарь американских идиом

  • brush-off — • brush off • give the brush off v. phr. 1. To refuse to hear or believe; quickly and impatiently; not take seriously or think important. John brushed off Bill s warning that he might fall from the tree. I said that it might rain and to take the… …   Словарь американских идиом

  • brush-off — n [singular] rude or unfriendly behaviour that shows you are not interested in someone ▪ She gave him the brush off. ▪ I tried to be friendly but I just got the brush off. →brush off at ↑brush2 …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • brush off — (someone/something) to not accept someone or something as being important. When she told me my project would be a better television film than a feature film, I thought she was brushing me off. But the prime minister brushed off that criticism,… …   New idioms dictionary

  • brush-off — /brush awf , of /, n. a refusal to talk or listen to someone; abrupt or final dismissal or rebuff. [1945 50, Amer.; n. use of v. phrase brush off] * * * …   Universalium

  • brush off — brush aside / brush off [v] ignore; refuse boycott, cold shoulder*, contradict, cut, deny, disclaim, dismiss, disown, disregard, get rid of, have no time for*, ostracize, override, rebuff, reject, repudiate, scorn, send away, slight, snub, spurn …   New thesaurus

  • brush off — index parry Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • brush-off — noun singular INFORMAL a clear sign to someone that you are not interested in them or in their ideas …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • brush-off — brush′ off n. an abrupt dismissal or rebuff • Etymology: 1945–50, amer …   From formal English to slang

  • brush|off — «BRUHSH F, OF», noun. Informal. a refusal to see or listen; an abrupt dismissal or rebuke: »The reporter got a polite brushoff when he asked the mayor for an appointment …   Useful english dictionary

  • brush-off — noun a curt or disdainful rejection • Derivationally related forms: ↑brush off • Hypernyms: ↑rejection * * * n discouragement, dismissal, rebuff, refusal, rejection, repudiation, repulse, slight, snub FORMAL repu …   Useful english dictionary

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