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brush-off
[ bruhsh-awf, -of ]
noun
- a refusal to talk or listen to someone; abrupt or final dismissal or rebuff.
brush off
verb
- to dismiss and ignore (a person), esp curtly
noun
- an abrupt dismissal or rejection
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Word History and Origins
Origin of brush-off1
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Idioms and Phrases
Dismiss or rebuff, as in Roberta brushed off the poor reviews with a shrug , or You can't brush off a boyfriend and expect him to do you a favor . This expression, transferring sweeping off crumbs to a curt dismissal, was first recorded about 1820. However, it became common usage only in the 1930s. Also see give someone the air (brush off) .Discover More
Example Sentences
Of course, when I sounded them out, they gave me a kindly brush-off: The matter was out of the their hands.
For any officer to brush-off a forthright request for aid or advice under such circumstances is an unofficerly act.
I finally gave Comrade Snyder the complete brush-off, and I must say he took it very nicely.
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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