brass

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Meaning · English

Bad, annoying; as wordplay applied especially to brass instruments.

Register: slang

Where it’s used: Used American English

Examples

Grindoff, the miller, 'and the leader of a very brass band of most unpopular performers, with a thorough base accompaniment of at least fifty vices,' was played by Miss Saunders.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “brass” mean?

Bad, annoying; as wordplay applied especially to brass instruments.

Is “brass” formal or informal?

brass is generally slang.