brush\ off

brush\ off
• brush off
• give the brush-off
v. phr.
1. To refuse to hear or believe; quickly and impatiently; not take seriously or think important.

John brushed off Bill's warning that he might fall from the tree.

I said that it might rain and to take the bus, but Joe gave my idea the brush-off.

Father cut his finger but he brushed it off as not important and kept working.

2. informal To be unfriendly to; not talk or pay attention to (someone); get rid of.

Mary brushed off Bill at the dance.

I said hello to Mr. Smith, but he gave me the brush-off.

Compare: cold shoulder, high-hat Contrast: get the brush-off

Словарь американских идиом. — СПб., Изд-во "Лань". . 1997.

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  • brush-off — • brush off • give the brush off v. phr. 1. To refuse to hear or believe; quickly and impatiently; not take seriously or think important. John brushed off Bill s warning that he might fall from the tree. I said that it might rain and to take the… …   Словарь американских идиом

  • brush-off — n [singular] rude or unfriendly behaviour that shows you are not interested in someone ▪ She gave him the brush off. ▪ I tried to be friendly but I just got the brush off. →brush off at ↑brush2 …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • brush off — (someone/something) to not accept someone or something as being important. When she told me my project would be a better television film than a feature film, I thought she was brushing me off. But the prime minister brushed off that criticism,… …   New idioms dictionary

  • brush-off — /brush awf , of /, n. a refusal to talk or listen to someone; abrupt or final dismissal or rebuff. [1945 50, Amer.; n. use of v. phrase brush off] * * * …   Universalium

  • brush off — brush aside / brush off [v] ignore; refuse boycott, cold shoulder*, contradict, cut, deny, disclaim, dismiss, disown, disregard, get rid of, have no time for*, ostracize, override, rebuff, reject, repudiate, scorn, send away, slight, snub, spurn …   New thesaurus

  • brush off — index parry Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • brush-off — noun singular INFORMAL a clear sign to someone that you are not interested in them or in their ideas …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • brush-off — brush′ off n. an abrupt dismissal or rebuff • Etymology: 1945–50, amer …   From formal English to slang

  • brush|off — «BRUHSH F, OF», noun. Informal. a refusal to see or listen; an abrupt dismissal or rebuke: »The reporter got a polite brushoff when he asked the mayor for an appointment …   Useful english dictionary

  • brush-off — noun a curt or disdainful rejection • Derivationally related forms: ↑brush off • Hypernyms: ↑rejection * * * n discouragement, dismissal, rebuff, refusal, rejection, repudiation, repulse, slight, snub FORMAL repu …   Useful english dictionary

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