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Webster 1913 Edition

Brush

Brush

(brŭsh)
,
Noun.
[OE.
brusche
, OF.
broche
,
broce
,
brosse
, brushwood, F.
brosse
brush, LL.
brustia
,
bruscia
, fr. OHG.
brusta
,
brust
, bristle, G.
borste
bristle,
bürste
brush. See
Bristle
,
Noun.
, and cf.
Browse
.]
1.
An instrument composed of bristles, or other like material, set in a suitable back or handle, as of wood, bone, or ivory, and used for various purposes, as in removing dust from clothes, laying on colors, etc.
Brushes
have different shapes and names according to their use;
as, clothes
brush
, paint
brush
, tooth
brush
, etc.
2.
The bushy tail of a fox.
3.
(Zool.)
A tuft of hair on the mandibles.
4.
Branches of trees lopped off; brushwood.
5.
A thicket of shrubs or small trees; the shrubs and small trees in a wood; underbrush.
7.
(Elec.)
A bundle of flexible wires or thin plates of metal, used to conduct an electrical current to or from the commutator of a dynamo, electric motor, or similar apparatus.
8.
The act of brushing;
as, to give one’s clothes a
brush
; a rubbing or grazing with a quick motion; a light touch;
as, we got a
brush
from the wheel as it passed
.
[As leaves] have with one winter's
brush

Fell from their boughts.
Shakespeare
9.
A skirmish; a slight encounter; a shock or collision;
as, to have a
brush
with an enemy; a
brush
with the law
.
Let grow thy sinews till their knots be strong,
And tempt not yet the
brushes
of the war.
Shakespeare
10.
A short contest, or trial, of speed.
Let us enjoy a
brush
across the country.
Cornhill Mag.
Electrical brush
,
a form of the electric discharge characterized by a brushlike appearance of luminous rays diverging from an electrified body.

Brush

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Brushed
(brŭsht)
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Brushing
.]
[OE.
bruschen
; cf. F.
brosser
. See
Brush
,
Noun.
]
1.
To apply a brush to, according to its particular use; to rub, smooth, clean, paint, etc., with a brush.
“A' brushes his hat o' mornings.”
Shak.
2.
To touch in passing, or to pass lightly over, as with a brush.
Some spread their sailes, some with strong oars sweep
The waters smooth, and
brush
the buxom wave.
Fairfax.
Brushed
with the kiss of rustling wings.
Milton.
3.
To remove or gather by brushing, or by an act like that of brushing, or by passing lightly over, as wind; – commonly with off.
As wicked dew as e'er my mother
brushed

With raven's feather from unwholesome fen.
Shakespeare
And from the boughts
brush
off the evil dew.
Milton.
To brush aside
,
to remove from one's way, as with a brush.
–
To brush away
,
to remove, as with a brush or brushing motion.
–
To brush up
,
to paint, or make clean or bright with a brush; to cleanse or improve; to renew.
You have commissioned me to paint your shop, and I have done my best to
brush
you
up
like your neighbors.
Pope.

Brush

,
Verb.
I.
To move nimbly in haste; to move so lightly as scarcely to be perceived;
as, to
brush
by
.
Snatching his hat, he
brushed
off like the wind.
Goldsmith.

Webster 1828 Edition

Brush

BRUSH

, n.
1.
An instrument for cleaning any thing of dust and dirt by light rubbing, as floors, furniture, boots, &c. Brushes originally were made of shrubs or small branches of trees tied together, and such are yet used for coarse purposes. But the materials most used are bristles set in wood. Painters use a small brush to lay colors on their large pieces. Silversmiths use a wire brush for scrubbing silver, copper or brass, in order to gilding; and there is a method of staining leather by rubbing the color on the skin with a brush.
2.
Branches of trees lopped off; brushwood; a sense common in the U. States.
3.
The small trees and shrubs of a wood; or a thicket of small trees.
4.
A skirmish; a slight encounter; also, an assault; a shock, or rude treatment, from collision; as we say a scouring, a rub.
5.
In electricity, the luminous appearance of electric matter issuing in diverging rays from a point.
6.
A tail; as the brush of a fox.

BRUSH

,
Verb.
T.
To sweep or rub with a brush; as, to brush a hat.
1.
To strike as with a brush; to strike lightly, by passing over the surface, without injury, or impression; as, to brush the arm in passing; to brush the briny flood.
2.
To paint with a brush; hence, to brush up is often used for cleansing in general.
3.
With off, to remove by brushing, as to brush off dust; also, to carry away by an act like that of brushing, or by passing over lightly, as by wind.
4.
To move as a brush; to pass over with a light contact.

BRUSH

,
Verb.
I.
To move nimbly in haste; to move so lightly as scarcely to be perceived; as, to brush by.
1.
To move or skim over,with a slight contact, or without much impression.

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