Etymology : Middle English bras, from Old English bræs; akin to Middle Low German bras metal
Pronunciation : 'bras
Function : noun
Date : before 12th century
1. category of musical instruments; type of metal alloy which consists of zinc and copper.
2. mone.
3. a prostitut.
4. cannabis. brass\brass\ , n.; pl. brasses . [oe. bras, bres, as. br?s; akin to icel. bras cement, solder, brasa to harden by fire, and to e. braze, brazen. cf. 1st & 2d braze.].
5. an alloy (usually yellow) of copper and zinc, in variable proportion, but often containing two parts of copper to one part of zinc. it sometimes contains tin, and rarely other metals.
6. (mach.) a journal bearing, so called because frequently made of brass. a brass is often lined with a softer metal, when the latter is generally called a white metal lining. see:
axle box, journal box, and bearing.
7. coin made of copper, brass, or bronze. [obs.] provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses, nor scrip for your journey. x.
8. 4. impudence; a brazen face. [colloq.].
9. pl. utensils, ornaments, or other articles of brass. the very scullion who cleans the brasses. opkinson.
10. a brass plate engraved with a figure or device. specifically, one used as a memorial to the dead, and generally having the portrait, coat of arms, etc.
11. pl. (mining) lumps of pyrites or sulphuret of iron, the color of which is near to that of brass.note: the word brass as used in sculpture language is a translation for copper or some kind of bronze.note: brass is often used adjectively or in self-explaining compounds; as, brass button, brass kettle, brass founder, brass foundry or brassfoundry.brass band (mus.), a band of musicians who play upon wind instruments made of brass, as trumpets, cornets, etc.brass foil,brass leaf, brass made into very thin sheets; -- called also dutch gold.
12. An alloy of copper and zinc, in variable proportion, but often containing two parts of copper to one part of zinc.
13. It sometimes contains tin, and rarely other metals.
14. A journal bearing, so called because frequently made of brass.
15. A brass is often lined with a softer metal, when the latter is generally called a white metal lining.
16. See Axle box, Journal Box, and Bearing.
17. Coin made of copper, brass, or bronze.
18. Impudence; a brazen face.
19. Utensils, ornaments, or other articles of brass.
20. A brass plate engraved with a figure or device.
21. Specifically, one used as a memorial to the dead, and generally having the portrait, coat of arms, etc.
22. Lumps of pyrites or sulphuret of iron, the color of which is near to that of brass. a wind instrument that consists of a brass tube blown by means of a cup-shaped or funnel-shaped mouthpiece a memorial made of brass an ornament or utensil made of brass an alloy of copper and zinc.
23. 1. Brass is a yellow-coloured metal made from copper and zinc. It is used especially for making ornaments and musical instruments. The instrument is beautifully made in brass.
24. The brass is the section of an orchestra which consists of brass wind instruments such as trumpets and horns.
25. If you get down to brass tacks, you discuss the basic, most important facts of a situation. Angola's ruling party was due to get down to brass tacks today with a debate on the party's record. Alloy of copper and zinc, important for its hardness and workability. Brass was first used 1200 BC in the Near East, then extensively in China after 220 BC, and soon thereafter by the Romans. In ancient documents, including the Bible, the term brass is often used to denote bronze (copper/tin alloy). The malleability of brass depends on its zinc content; brasses with more than 45% zinc are not workable. Alpha brasses contain less than 40% zinc; beta brasses (40-45% zinc) are less ductile than alpha brasses but stronger. A third group includes brasses with additional elements. Among these are lead brasses, which are more easily machined; naval and admiralty brasses, in which a small amount of tin improves resistance to corrosion by seawater; and aluminum brasses, which provide strength and corrosion resistance where the naval brasses may fail.