brass

American  

[bras, brahs] / bræs, brɑs /

noun

• brasses
  plural

1. any of various metal alloys consisting mainly of copper and zinc.

2. a utensil, ornament, or other article made of such an alloy.

3. Music.

   1. brass instrument.

   2. brass instruments collectively in a band or orchestra.

4. metallic yellow; lemon, amber, or reddish yellow.

5. Informal.

   1. high-ranking military officers.

   2. any very important officials.

6. Informal. excessive self-assurance; impudence; effrontery.

   Synonyms:

   chutzpa, gall, brashness, nerve, cheek

7. Machinery. a replaceable semicylindrical shell, usually of bronze, used with another such to line a bearing; a half bushing.

8. British. a memorial tablet or plaque, often incised with an effigy, coat of arms, or the like.

9. Furniture. any piece of ornamental or functional hardware, as a drawer pull, made of brass.

10. British Slang. money.

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adjective

1. of, made of, or pertaining to brass.

2. composed for or using musical instruments made of brass.

3. having the color brass.

brass British  

/ brɑːs /

noun

1. an alloy of copper and zinc containing more than 50 per cent of copper. Alpha brass (containing less than 35 per cent of zinc) is used for most engineering materials requiring forging, pressing, etc Alpha-beta brass (35–45 per cent zinc) is used for hot working and extrusion. Beta brass (45–50 per cent zinc) is used for castings. Small amounts of other metals, such as lead or tin, may be added Compare bronze

2. an object, ornament, or utensil made of brass

3. 1. the large family of wind instruments including the trumpet, trombone, French horn, etc, each consisting of a brass tube blown directly by means of a cup- or funnel-shaped mouthpiece

   2. (sometimes functioning as plural) instruments of this family forming a section in an orchestra

   3. ( as modifier )

      a brass ensemble

4. a renewable sleeve or bored semicylindrical shell made of brass or bronze, used as a liner for a bearing

5. informal (functioning as plural) important or high-ranking officials, esp military officers See also brass hat

   the top brass

6. dialect money

   where there's muck, there's brass!

7. an engraved brass memorial tablet or plaque, set in the wall or floor of a church

8. informal bold self-confidence; cheek; nerve

   he had the brass to ask for more time

9. slang a prostitute

10. (modifier) of, consisting of, or relating to brass or brass instruments

    a brass ornament

    a brass band

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brass Scientific  

/ brăs /

1. A yellowish alloy of copper and zinc, usually 67 percent copper and 33 percent zinc. It sometimes includes small amounts of other metals. Brass is strong, ductile, and resistant to many forms of corrosion.

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brass Cultural  

1. Musical instruments traditionally made of brass and played by blowing directly into a small, cup-shaped mouthpiece. They include the French horn, trumpet, trombone, and tuba.

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brass Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing brass

• bold as brass
• double in brass
• get down to brass tacks

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• brassish
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• brasses
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of brass

before 1000; 1945–50 brass for def. 5; Middle English bras, Old English bræs; cognate with Old Frisian bres copper, Middle Low German bras metal

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Explanation

Brass is a shiny, gold-colored metal that is an alloy of zinc and copper. You'll see brass everywhere once you start looking: in doorknobs, lamps and light fixtures, zippers, and tools. Because brass is both workable and strong, it's used in musical instruments (in fact, there's a whole category of instruments known as brass, including saxophones and trumpets). It's also a low-friction metal, so it's preferred for ammunition casings, gears, and locks. And brass is shiny and cheerful, so people like to use it in light fittings, plaques, and sculptures. High-ranking military members are informally known as brass, inspired by the insignia on their uniforms.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

brass brasses

In the souks, men carry stacks of rugs on their shoulders and craftsmen shape brass lanterns in stalls no wider than a closet.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 5, 2026

Bill Conti -- who composed the "Gonna Fly Now" theme of "Rocky," a track instantly recognizable for its triumphant brass swells -- it's "a story about a story."

From Barron's ● Nov. 5, 2026

His dad, Roberto Pulido, is credited with the modernization of Tejano music through added brass instrumentation that helped bridge the separate camps of Tejano and Conjunto music.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 4, 2026

The culling of the military's top brass has been particularly significant, with Neil Thomas, Lobsang Tsering and Shengyu Wang from the Asia Society Policy Institute describing it as "in a category of its own".

From BBC ● Oct. 29, 2026

As her fingers brush against the brass knocker, a rattling sound comes from the other side of the door, and we all freeze.

From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller

The brasses, which Honeck put to ominous use in the Tchaikovsky, snarled and shone, and the horns traced rainbow arcs over the stage in the Rachmaninoff.

From New York Times ● Apr. 14, 2024

Their sound has a lovely finish: softly molded winds, round-toned brasses, strings that never turn strident.

From New York Times ● Jan. 22, 2024

“Mythologies” revels in the palpably human effects of an acoustic ensemble: the trembling friction of bows on strings; the exhalations of breath into brasses; the grumble of bassoon, with audible clicks of fingers on keys.

From New York Times ● Apr. 3, 2023

"Several thousand brasses and other artefacts - collectively known as the 'Benin Bronzes' - were taken by the British, and subsequently sold off in London to recoup the costs of the military mission."

From BBC ● Dec. 14, 2022

The harness was polished and the horse brasses glittered like gold.

From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck

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