1. An implement that has hairs or bristles firmly set into a handle
   "She used a brush to detangle her hair"
    
2. A dense growth of bushes and small trees
   "Rabbits darted into the brush for safety";
   - brushwood, coppice, copse, thicket
    
3. The act of brushing your teeth
   "the dentist recommended two brushes a day";
   - brushing
    
4. The act of brushing your hair
   "he gave his hair a quick brush";
   - brushing
    
5. Momentary contact
   "Her brush on his arm caught his attention";
   - light touch
    
6. Contact with something dangerous or undesirable
   "I had a brush with danger on my way to work"
    
7. A minor short-term fight
   "They had a brief brush with the enemy patrol";
   - clash, encounter, skirmish
    
8. A spring-loaded electrical contact between the stationary and rotating parts of a machine
   "The motor's brushes needed to be replaced due to wear"
    
9. A bushy tail or part of a bushy tail (especially of the fox)
   "The fox's brush was visible as it darted into the undergrowth"

1. Rub with a brush, or as if with a brush
   "Johnson brushed the hairs from his jacket"
    
2. Touch lightly and briefly
   "He brushed the wall lightly"
    
3. Clean with a brush
   "She brushed the suit before hanging it back into the closet"
    
4. Move across a surface or touching a surface
   "Her long skirt brushed the floor";
   - sweep
    
5. Remove with or as if with a brush
   "brush aside the objections"; "brush away the crumbs"; "brush the dust from the jacket"
    
6. Cover by brushing
   "brush the bread with melted butter"

Derived forms: brushed, brushing, brushes

Type of: botany, clean, combat, contact, cover, dental care, electrical device, fight, fighting, flora, hair care, haircare, hairdressing, implement, move, remove, rub, scrap, tail, take, take away, touch, touching, vegetation, withdraw

Part of: electric motor, generator

Encyclopedia: Brush, Mary