have a brush with

Idioms  

1. Have an encounter or come in conflict with, as in This was not the first time that Bob had a brush with the law. This expression alludes to the noun brush in the sense of “a hostile collision,” a usage dating from about 1400.

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Example Sentences

You want to zip the pocket with your car key in it before you leave for a six-mile run in February in Colorado but your working memory is poor, so you lose the key, get locked out and have a brush with hypothermia.

From The Wall Street Journal

For many users who have a brush with the law, court-mandated treatment and the threat of worse outcomes in the future are enough to set them on the right track.

From Washington Post

It can be awe-inspiring for a young player to have a brush with a famous college coach, such as when Edge met Penn State Coach James Franklin at a camp.

From Washington Post

He was about to have a brush with greatness he'd remember for the rest of his life.

From Golf Digest

She wrote, “Did I have a brush with the Master? You bet. But I beat him off.”

From Washington Times