1. An alloy of copper and zinc
   "The door knocker was made of polished brass"
    
2. A wind instrument that consists of a brass tube (usually of variable length) that is blown by means of a cup-shaped or funnel-shaped mouthpiece
   "The trumpet is a popular brass instrument in jazz music";
   - brass instrument
    
3. The persons (or committees or departments etc.) who make up a body for the purpose of administering something
   "The university brass met to discuss the budget";
   - administration, governance, governing body, establishment, organization, organisation [Brit], admin [informal]
    
4. Impudent aggressiveness
   "I couldn't believe her brass";
   - boldness, nerve, face, cheek, brass neck [Brit, informal]
    
5. An ornament or utensil made of brass
   "The antique shop displayed various brass ornaments in the window"
    
6. The section of a band or orchestra that plays brass instruments
   "The brass section's fanfare opened the concert";
   - brass section
    
7. A memorial made of brass
   "The church contained several medieval brasses commemorating its past vicars"
    
8. [Brit, informal] The most common medium of exchange; functions as legal tender
   "we tried to collect the brass he owed us";
   - money, coin [US, informal], boodle [informal], bread [informal], cabbage [US, informal], clams [US, informal], dinero [N. Amer, informal], dough [informal], gelt [informal], kale [US, informal], lettuce [US, informal], lolly [Brit, informal], lucre [informal], loot [informal], moolah [N. Amer, informal], pelf [archaic, informal], scratch [informal], shekels [informal], simoleons [US, informal], sugar [informal], wampum [N. Amer, informal], wonga [Brit, informal], moola [N. Amer, informal], dibs [archaic, informal], spondulix [Brit, informal], spondulicks [Brit, informal], mazuma [US, informal], dosh [Brit, informal]

Derived forms: brasses

Type of: aggressiveness, body, breath, copper-base alloy, decoration, medium of exchange, memorial, monetary system, monument, ornament, ornamentation, section, wind, wind instrument

Part of: authorities, government, money supply, regime

Encyclopedia: Brass, Nigeria