brain trust

¹

noun

1. a group of experts from various fields who serve as unofficial consultants on matters of policy and strategy.

brain-trust

²

[ breyn-truhst ]

verb (used with object)

1. to serve as a brain trust or a brain truster for:

   They have brain-trusted many major corporations.

brain trust

¹

1. A group of intellectuals and planners who act as advisers, especially to a government. The phrase is particularly associated with the presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt .

brain trust

²

1. A group of experts who serve as advisers to a government or an organization: “Before being appointed to the cabinet, Brown had been a leading figure in a financial brain trust.”

Word History and Origins

Origin of brain trust¹

An Americanism dating back to 1905–10

Idioms and Phrases

A group of experts who serve as unofficial but vital advisers. For example, Each town manager seemed to have his or her own brain trust, which of course changed with every election . This term, closely associated with President Franklin Roosevelt's advisers on domestic and foreign policy in the early 1930s, was first recorded in 1910.

Example Sentences

The DeSantis brain trust notwithstanding, teachers in the classroom were still struggling to make sense of the change on Wednesday afternoon.

From The Daily Beast

He hired Hurney and general manager Martin Mayhew, among others, to build an experienced brain trust that could help him complete the base of the roster.

From Washington Post

Our research universities continue to attract global talent that advances domestic science and engineering in the US, which helps create jobs, build our national brain trust, and strengthen our national security.

From MIT Technology Review

Most importantly, he wanted to be around a brain trust of more senior people whom he could learn from and connect with.

From Washington Post

They’ll be part of the brain trust advising Rivera in the team’s coach-centric model.

From Washington Post

I know also that Abbas and his brain-trust has condemned the intifada, the bombs, the violence.

From The Daily Beast

The Obama brain trust decided not to risk a presidential appearance in Wisconsin.

From The Daily Beast

Alegria decided he would not only found Mamiverse but locate its technical brain trust in Tucson.

From The Daily Beast

But his brain trust waves off the usual queries about tactics and controversies.

From The Daily Beast

Obama and Patrick are old allies; they share similar biographies and much of the same brain trust.

From The Daily Beast

Some of the measures he and his so-called brain trust took were immediately hailed by his enemies as socialistic.

From Project Gutenberg

The brain trust, of course, also works on luring away the competitor's customers to their product.

From Project Gutenberg

Hell, Lance, this is the sort of stuff the brain trust pays us bonuses for.

From Project Gutenberg