noun

1. brushwood
2. ☆ sparsely settled country, covered with wild scrub growth
3. 1. a device having bristles, hairs, or wires fastened into a hard back, with or without a handle attached: brushes are used for cleaning, polishing, painting, smoothing the hair, etc.
   2. a device of wires attached in a fanlike spread to a handle, used as on drums or cymbals for a swishing or muted effect
4. the act of brushing
5. a light, grazing stroke a brush of the hand
6. brushwork
7. a bushy tail, esp. that of a fox
8. ☆ Slang brushoff
9. Elec.
   1. a piece, plate, rod, or bundle of carbon, copper, etc. used as a conductor between an external circuit and a revolving part, as in a motor
   2. brush discharge

Etymology: ME brushe < OFr broce, brosse, bush, brushwood < VL *bruscia < Gmc *bruskaz, underbrush: for IE base see breast

transitive verb

1. to use a brush on; clean, polish, paint, smooth, etc. with a brush
2. to apply, spread, remove, etc. with a stroke or strokes as of a brush
3. to go over lightly, as with a brush
4. to touch or graze in passing

intransitive verb

intransitive verb

Etymology: ME bruschen, rush < ? OFr brosser, to travel (? through woods), beat underbrush for game: see brush

noun