BRASS

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does brass mean? 

• BRASS (noun)
  The noun BRASS has 7 senses:

1. an alloy of copper and zinc

2. a wind instrument that consists of a brass tube (usually of variable length) that is blown by means of a cup-shaped or funnel-shaped mouthpiece

3. the persons (or committees or departments etc.) who make up a body for the purpose of administering something

4. impudent aggressiveness

5. an ornament or utensil made of brass

6. the section of a band or orchestra that plays brass instruments

7. a memorial made of brass

  Familiarity information: BRASS used as a noun is common.

 Dictionary entry details 

• BRASS (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

An alloy of copper and zinc

Classified under:

Nouns denoting substances

Hypernyms ("brass" is a kind of...):

copper-base alloy (any alloy whose principal component is copper)

Meronyms (substance of "brass"):

atomic number 29; copper; Cu (a ductile malleable reddish-brown corrosion-resistant diamagnetic metallic element; occurs in various minerals but is the only metal that occurs abundantly in large masses; used as an electrical and thermal conductor)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "brass"):

alpha-beta brass; Muntz metal; yellow metal (a brass that has more zinc and is stronger than alpha brass; used in making castings and hot-worked products)

alpha brass (an alloy of brass and zinc; used mainly for cold working)

bearing brass (a brass bushing or a lining for a bearing)

cartridge brass (an alloy of copper and zinc (containing about 30% zinc) that is wrought into cartridges or tubing)

gilding metal (a brass that is rich in copper; used to make articles that were to be gilded)

high brass (brass with 35% zinc)

latten (brass (or a yellow alloy resembling brass) that was hammered into thin sheets; formerly used for church utensils)

low brass (brass with 30% (or less) zinc)

ormolu (brass that looks like gold; used to decorate furniture)

guinea gold; red brass (brass with enough copper to give it a reddish tint; used for plumbing pipe and other brass hardware and in cheap jewelry)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A wind instrument that consists of a brass tube (usually of variable length) that is blown by means of a cup-shaped or funnel-shaped mouthpiece

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

brass; brass instrument

Hypernyms ("brass" is a kind of...):

wind; wind instrument (a musical instrument in which the sound is produced by an enclosed column of air that is moved by bellows or the human breath)

Meronyms (parts of "brass"):

valve (device in a brass wind instrument for varying the length of the air column to alter the pitch of a tone)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "brass"):

bass horn; sousaphone; tuba (the lowest brass wind instrument)

bugle (a brass instrument without valves; used for military calls and fanfares)

clarion (a medieval brass instrument with a clear shrill tone)

cornet; horn; trump; trumpet (a brass musical instrument with a brilliant tone; has a narrow tube and a flared bell and is played by means of valves)

fluegelhorn; flugelhorn (a brass instrument resembling a cornet but with a wider bore)

French horn; horn (a brass musical instrument consisting of a conical tube that is coiled into a spiral and played by means of valves)

saxhorn (any of a family of brass wind instruments that resemble a bugle with valves)

trombone (a brass instrument consisting of a long tube whose length can be varied by a U-shaped slide)

baritone; baritone horn (the second lowest brass wind instrument)

Derivation:

brassy (resembling the sound of a brass instrument)

Sense 3

Meaning:

The persons (or committees or departments etc.) who make up a body for the purpose of administering something

Classified under:

Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects

Synonyms:

administration; brass; establishment; governance; governing body; organisation; organization

Context example:

he quickly became recognized as a member of the establishment

Hypernyms ("brass" is a kind of...):

body (a group of persons associated by some common tie or occupation and regarded as an entity)

Meronyms (parts of "brass"):

hierarchy; pecking order; power structure (the organization of people at different ranks in an administrative body)

Meronyms (members of "brass"):

advisory board; planning board (a board appointed to advise the chief administrator)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "brass"):

bench; judiciary (persons who administer justice)

management (those in charge of running a business)

government officials; officialdom (people elected or appointed to administer a government)

county council (the elected governing body of a county)

executive (persons who administer the law)

top brass (the most important persons in a governing body)

Curia ((Roman Catholic Church) the central administration governing the Roman Catholic Church)

Holonyms ("brass" is a part of...):

authorities; government; regime (the organization that is the governing authority of a political unit)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Impudent aggressiveness

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

boldness; brass; cheek; face; nerve

Context example:

he had the effrontery to question my honesty

Hypernyms ("brass" is a kind of...):

aggressiveness (the quality of being bold and enterprising)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "brass"):

audaciousness; audacity (aggressive boldness or unmitigated effrontery)

Derivation:

brassy (unrestrained by convention or propriety)

Sense 5

Meaning:

An ornament or utensil made of brass

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("brass" is a kind of...):

decoration; ornament; ornamentation (something used to beautify)

Sense 6

Meaning:

The section of a band or orchestra that plays brass instruments

Classified under:

Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects

Synonyms:

brass; brass section

Hypernyms ("brass" is a kind of...):

section (a division of an orchestra containing all instruments of the same class)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "brass"):

trumpet section (the section of a band or orchestra that plays trumpets or cornets)

Derivation:

brassy (resembling the sound of a brass instrument)

Sense 7

Meaning:

A memorial made of brass

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

brass; memorial tablet; plaque

Hypernyms ("brass" is a kind of...):

memorial; monument (a structure erected to commemorate persons or events)

 Context examples 

You must put this piece of paper which you have shown us into the brass box which you have described.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

See how the brass shines where it is cut.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

She had round red arms, a dress of some sober woollen stuff, and a brass brooch the size of a cheese-cake stuck in the front of it.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The little chamber lay before us brightly illuminated by a brass lamp which stood upon the table.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

But he was thrown down and choked repeatedly, till they succeeded in filing the heavy brass collar from off his neck.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)

“Your neighbour is a doctor,” said he, nodding at the brass plate.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

One of my last thoughts was of the captain, who had so often strode along the beach with his cocked hat, his sabre-cut cheek, and his old brass telescope.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

The kettle was of brass and shone like gold, so brightly was it polished.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

"Hold up yer hand!" he screamed. "Them's brass knuckles, an' you hit me with 'em!"

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

Rosa Dartle sat looking down upon her, as inflexible as a figure of brass.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)