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B2 noun #2,000 le plus courant 11 min de lecture

brush

Top 2,000

Entraîne-toi Exemples Notes et astuces brush en 30 secondes

Explication brush in your Level:

At the A1 level, the word 'brush' is introduced as a very simple, everyday object. You learn it as a physical tool used for basic daily routines. The most common examples you will learn are 'toothbrush' and 'hairbrush'. A toothbrush is what you use in the morning and at night to clean your teeth. A hairbrush is what you use to make your hair look neat. You also learn the word as a simple noun for cleaning or painting. For example, a 'paintbrush' is used in art class to put colors on paper. At this beginner stage, you do not need to worry about any complex or metaphorical meanings. The focus is entirely on identifying the physical object. You will often see it combined with other words, like 'tooth' + 'brush' = 'toothbrush'. You will practice saying sentences like 'I need a new toothbrush' or 'Where is my hairbrush?'. The grammar is very simple: it is a countable noun, so you say 'a brush' or 'two brushes'. You use it with basic verbs like 'have', 'need', 'buy', and 'use'. The spelling is straightforward, ending in '-sh', which produces the /ʃ/ sound. This is a foundational vocabulary word that helps you describe your morning routine, your bathroom items, and basic classroom objects. Teachers will often use pictures of these items to help you memorize them. You might also learn the verb form at this level (e.g., 'I brush my teeth'), but as a noun, it strictly means the tool itself. Understanding 'brush' at A1 is essential for basic survival English, allowing you to shop for personal care items or ask for a tool in a classroom setting. It is a highly visual, concrete noun that is easy to grasp and use immediately in daily conversation.

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At the A2 level, your understanding of the noun 'brush' expands slightly beyond just toothbrushes and hairbrushes, though it remains firmly rooted in physical, everyday objects. You start to learn about different types of brushes used for chores and specific tasks. For example, you might learn about a 'scrubbing brush' used for cleaning floors or a 'toilet brush' used in the bathroom. You also become more comfortable with the word in the context of art and hobbies, discussing 'paintbrushes' of different sizes. At this level, you begin to use the noun in slightly more complex sentences, describing the purpose of the brush. You might say, 'I need a stiff brush to clean my boots,' or 'She bought a soft brush for her baby's hair.' You also start to understand the noun as an action or an event, such as 'giving something a brush'. For instance, 'My coat is dirty; it needs a brush.' This introduces the idea that the noun can represent the act of using the tool, not just the tool itself. You will practice using adjectives to describe the brush, such as 'clean', 'dirty', 'old', 'new', 'soft', or 'hard'. The grammar remains focused on its use as a countable noun, but you are now integrating it into broader contexts of daily life, household chores, and simple descriptions. You might encounter it in reading passages about cleaning a house or preparing for an art project. The A2 level builds on the A1 foundation by adding variety and descriptive capability, allowing you to specify exactly what kind of brush you need and what you intend to do with it. It bridges the gap between basic identification and practical, descriptive use in everyday scenarios.

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At the B1 level, the noun 'brush' takes on more descriptive and varied physical meanings, and you begin to encounter its use in slightly more abstract contexts. You are now comfortable with a wide array of physical brushes: wire brushes for rust, pastry brushes for cooking, and cosmetic brushes for makeup. You can describe the materials they are made of, such as 'nylon bristles' or 'wooden handles'. More importantly, at B1, you start to see 'brush' used to describe dense, low-growing vegetation in nature. You might read a story where a character 'hides in the brush' or 'clears the brush from the yard'. This is a new, uncountable use of the noun (often called brushwood) that is common in geographical descriptions. Furthermore, you begin to understand the noun as a light, sweeping touch. For example, 'I felt the brush of his arm as he walked past.' This bridges the gap between the physical tool and the metaphorical meanings you will learn later. You also become more adept at using the phrase 'give it a brush' to mean a quick cleaning or tidying effort. At this intermediate stage, your vocabulary is expanding to include the nuances of how the word is used in different environments—from the kitchen to the wilderness. You are expected to understand these variations in reading comprehension texts and listening exercises. The B1 level is about moving beyond the bathroom and the art studio, recognizing that 'brush' can refer to wild plants or a gentle physical contact. This prepares you for the more complex, idiomatic uses of the word that appear in upper-intermediate and advanced English.

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At the B2 level, the noun 'brush' undergoes a significant transformation in how you are expected to use and understand it. While you still use it for physical tools and vegetation, the focus shifts heavily toward its metaphorical and idiomatic meanings. This is the level where you learn the crucial phrase 'a brush with [something]'. You must understand and actively use expressions like 'a brush with the law', 'a brush with death', or 'a brush with danger'. These phrases describe a brief, often unpleasant or risky encounter. You learn that this structure implies a close call—you were near danger or trouble, but you escaped without permanent damage. For example, 'His speeding ticket was his first brush with the law.' You also learn to use 'brush' in the context of arguments or descriptions, specifically the idiom 'a broad brush'. You understand that 'painting with a broad brush' means making sweeping generalizations and ignoring important details. You might write in an essay, 'The author uses a broad brush to describe the complex political situation.' At B2, you are expected to recognize these metaphorical uses in news articles, opinion pieces, and formal conversations. The grammar involves mastering the specific prepositions that accompany these idioms, particularly 'with' and 'a'. You are no longer just talking about cleaning your teeth; you are discussing life events, legal troubles, and rhetorical strategies. Mastering these abstract meanings is a key indicator of B2 proficiency, demonstrating that you can handle the figurative language that native speakers use naturally in everyday, sophisticated discourse. It adds color and precision to your ability to narrate events and critique arguments.

At the C1 level, your mastery of the noun 'brush' involves a deep understanding of its nuances, register, and less common idiomatic expressions. You are completely comfortable with 'a brush with death' and 'a broad brush', but you now employ them with high precision in complex academic or professional writing. You understand the subtle differences between a 'brush', a 'skirmish', and an 'encounter', choosing the exact word needed for the context. You also learn more advanced idioms, such as being 'tarred with the same brush'. You understand that this means being unfairly associated with the negative traits of someone else, and you can use it in discussions about prejudice, reputation, or politics. For example, 'Because of the scandal, all the executives were tarred with the same brush.' You also recognize the noun in highly specific, technical contexts, such as the 'brushes' inside an electric motor (the conductive contacts). At C1, you appreciate the etymological connection between the physical sweeping motion of a tool and the metaphorical sweeping nature of a generalization or a passing encounter. You can play with the word in creative writing, using the imagery of a brush to describe a fleeting moment or a superficial treatment of a subject. Your reading comprehension allows you to instantly grasp these figurative meanings even in dense literary or journalistic texts. You are expected to use these expressions naturally and without hesitation in debates, presentations, and essays. The C1 level is about refining your use of the word, ensuring that your application of its idiomatic forms is as natural and accurate as that of an educated native speaker, adding sophistication to your advanced vocabulary repertoire.

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At the C2 level, the noun 'brush' is fully integrated into your advanced linguistic repertoire. You possess a near-native command of all its literal, metaphorical, technical, and idiomatic uses. You can effortlessly navigate texts where the word is used in highly literary or poetic ways, such as describing the 'faint brush of autumn on the leaves' or 'the brush of melancholy in her voice'. You understand how authors use the word to evoke a sense of transience, superficiality, or brief contact. You are completely fluent in using complex idioms like 'tarred with the same brush' or 'a broad-brush approach' in high-level academic discourse, diplomatic negotiations, or sophisticated critiques. You can also manipulate these idioms creatively, perhaps inventing variations that play on the original meaning. Furthermore, you are aware of regional variations and archaic uses of the word, understanding how its meaning might shift slightly in different dialects of English. You recognize the technical uses of 'brush' in specialized fields like archaeology (a fine brush for excavating), digital art (Photoshop brushes), or electrical engineering, without needing explanation. At this mastery level, the word is simply a tool in your vast vocabulary arsenal, used instinctively to convey precise shades of meaning regarding encounters, generalizations, physical tools, or natural landscapes. You can analyze how the word's physical origins—a tool of sweeping and contact—inform its abstract applications in philosophy, law, and social commentary. Your use of 'brush' at C2 is characterized by elegance, precision, and a deep, intuitive understanding of its place within the broader tapestry of the English language.

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Entraîne-toi Exemples Notes et astuces

brush en 30 secondes

A tool with bristles for cleaning, painting, or grooming.
A brief, often dangerous encounter (a brush with death).
Dense, low-growing bushes or shrubs in the wild.
An idiom for making sweeping generalizations (broad brush).

The noun brush is a highly versatile word in the English language, encompassing both tangible, everyday objects and abstract, metaphorical concepts. In its most literal and physical sense, a brush is an implement consisting of bristles, hair, or wire set firmly into a handle or a block. These tools are fundamentally designed for sweeping, scrubbing, grooming, or applying liquids such as paint. The physical construction of a brush can vary immensely depending on its intended purpose. For instance, a toothbrush features soft, synthetic bristles designed for oral hygiene, whereas a wire brush employs stiff metal bristles for scraping rust or paint from hard surfaces. Hairbrushes, often made with boar bristles or plastic pins, are essential for detangling and smoothing human hair. Paintbrushes come in countless shapes and sizes, from broad, flat brushes used for coating walls to fine, pointed brushes used by artists for delicate details.

She used a stiff wire brush to remove the old, peeling paint from the wooden fence.

Beyond its physical utility, the word brush takes on significant metaphorical meanings, particularly in B2 and higher CEFR levels. Metaphorically, a brush refers to a brief, often unpleasant or dangerous encounter with something. This usage stems from the idea of something lightly grazing or touching you as it passes by.

Metaphorical Usage: A brief encounter with the law or a dangerous situation, emphasizing the closeness of the threat without lasting entanglement.

For example, a 'brush with the law' implies a minor legal issue, such as a traffic ticket or a brief questioning by police, rather than a serious criminal conviction. Similarly, a 'brush with death' describes a near-fatal experience, like a close call in a car accident or surviving a severe illness.

His reckless driving resulted in a terrifying brush with death on the icy highway.

Another common metaphorical expression is 'a broad brush', used when someone describes or categorizes a complex situation in general terms, ignoring specific details or nuances.

Broad Brush: A tendency to ignore specific details in favor of a generalized, often overly simplistic, overview.

The politician painted his opponents with a broad brush, ignoring their individual policy differences.

Furthermore, the term 'tarred with the same brush' is an idiom meaning that someone is considered to have the same faults or negative characteristics as someone else, simply by association.

Tarred with the same brush: Unfairly categorized as sharing the negative traits of an associated group or individual.

Because of his brother's crimes, he was unfairly tarred with the same brush by the local community.

She gave her coat a quick brush to remove the lint before leaving the house.

Understanding these dual layers of meaning—the concrete tool and the abstract encounter—is crucial for mastering this vocabulary word at an upper-intermediate to advanced level. It allows learners to navigate both practical, everyday conversations about hygiene and chores, as well as more complex discussions involving legal troubles, life-threatening events, and rhetorical strategies.

Using the noun brush correctly requires an understanding of its collocations, prepositions, and grammatical contexts. When referring to the physical tool, it is typically used as a countable noun. You can have one brush, two brushes, a set of brushes, or specific types like a toothbrush, hairbrush, or paintbrush. In this context, it is often the object of verbs related to cleaning, grooming, or art. For example, you might 'buy a brush', 'use a brush', 'clean a brush', or 'dip a brush' into paint.

Physical Collocations: Common verbs include use, hold, clean, buy, and dip. Adjectives include soft, stiff, wire, and bristle.

Make sure to wash your paint brush thoroughly after using acrylics.

When using brush to mean an act of brushing, it is often used with the verbs 'give' or 'have'. For instance, 'I gave my hair a quick brush' or 'The jacket needs a good brush'. This usage treats the action as a singular, quantifiable event.

He gave his suit a quick brush to remove the dog hair.

The metaphorical usage, meaning a brief encounter, is almost exclusively followed by the preposition 'with'. The structure is typically 'a brush with [noun]'. The noun is usually something negative, dangerous, or authoritative.

Metaphorical Structure: Article + brush + with + abstract noun (e.g., the law, death, danger, fame).

Her first brush with fame came when her video went viral.

It is important to note that 'a brush with' implies that the encounter was temporary and did not result in a permanent or deeply entangled situation. A brush with the law means you were perhaps warned or fined, but not sentenced to a long prison term. A brush with death means you survived.

After his brush with the law, he decided to change his behavior completely.

In academic or formal writing, the phrase 'broad brush' is often used as an adjective phrase (broad-brush) or in the idiom 'paint with a broad brush'. This is used to critique an argument or statement that is too general.

Broad Brush Critique: Used to point out that a statement lacks necessary nuance or detail.

The report's broad brush approach failed to address the specific needs of rural communities.

Mastering these different structures—the countable physical object, the singular action, and the prepositional metaphorical phrase—will significantly enhance your fluency and precision when using this vocabulary.

The noun brush appears across a wide spectrum of contexts, reflecting its dual nature as a physical tool and a metaphorical concept. In everyday domestic life, you will hear it constantly in the context of personal hygiene and household chores. Bathrooms are filled with toothbrushes, hairbrushes, and nail brushes. Cleaning closets contain scrubbing brushes, toilet brushes, and dust brushes. In these settings, the word is entirely literal and practical.

Domestic Context: Everyday conversations about cleaning, grooming, and personal care.

Don't forget to pack your tooth brush for the trip.

Moving into professional and creative spheres, the word is ubiquitous in the worlds of art, construction, and cosmetics. Artists discuss different types of paintbrushes—watercolor brushes, oil brushes, sable brushes, and synthetic brushes. Makeup artists use a variety of cosmetic brushes for blending and applying products.

The artist selected a fine sable brush for the delicate portrait details.

In journalism, literature, and formal spoken English, you will frequently encounter the metaphorical uses of the word. News reports often describe a suspect's 'brush with the law' or a survivor's 'brush with death' following a natural disaster. These phrases add dramatic flair and concise imagery to the reporting.

Journalistic Context: Used to describe close calls, minor legal infractions, or brief encounters with significant events.

The celebrity's recent brush with the paparazzi made headline news.

In academic, political, or analytical discourse, the idiom 'broad brush' is commonly heard. Debaters, critics, and analysts use it to point out generalizations. You might hear a political commentator say, 'The senator is painting the entire opposition with a broad brush.' This signifies a lack of nuance in an argument.

We must avoid using a broad brush when analyzing such a complex economic issue.

Finally, in rural or geographical contexts, the word 'brush' can also refer to dense undergrowth, small trees, and shrubs (often called brushwood). While this is a slightly different definition, it is a very common noun usage in regions with wild landscapes.

Geographical Context: Refers to thick vegetation, shrubs, and small trees in a wild area.

The lost hiker had to push his way through thick brush to find the trail.

By recognizing these diverse contexts, learners can anticipate the meaning of the word based on the surrounding conversation or text.

When learning the noun brush, students often make several predictable errors, particularly regarding collocations, prepositions, and confusing it with similar tools. One of the most common physical mistakes is confusing a brush with a comb. While both are used for grooming hair, a comb has a single row of rigid teeth, whereas a brush has multiple bristles set into a pad or block. Saying 'I need to comb my hair with a brush' is a semantic error.

Brush vs. Comb: A brush has bristles; a comb has teeth. They are not interchangeable terms.

Incorrect: She used a comb to apply the paint. Correct: She used a brush to apply the paint.

Another common error involves the metaphorical phrase 'a brush with'. Learners sometimes use incorrect prepositions, such as 'a brush against the law' or 'a brush of death'. The fixed expression always requires the preposition 'with'.

He survived a terrifying brush with death during the avalanche.

Furthermore, learners sometimes misuse the intensity of the metaphorical 'brush'. A brush implies a *brief* or *minor* encounter. It is incorrect to use it for a long, sustained, or deeply involved situation. For example, if someone spends ten years in prison, you would not describe that as 'a brush with the law'. It was a major collision, not a brush.

Intensity Error: Using 'brush' to describe a major, long-lasting event rather than a brief encounter.

Incorrect: His ten-year marriage was a brush with romance. Correct: His brief summer romance was a brush with love.

When using the phrase 'broad brush', learners sometimes forget the article 'a' or use it as a noun rather than an adjective modifier. The correct idiom is 'to paint with a broad brush' or 'a broad-brush approach'.

You shouldn't paint all teenagers with a broad brush; they are all individuals.

Finally, in the context of vegetation, learners might confuse 'brush' with 'forest' or 'jungle'. Brush refers specifically to low-lying, dense bushes and shrubs, not tall, mature trees.

Vegetation Confusion: Brush is low undergrowth, not a forest canopy.

We cleared the dry brush away from the house to prevent wildfires.

Avoiding these common pitfalls will make your English sound much more natural and precise.

Exploring synonyms and related terms for the noun brush helps to clarify its specific nuances and boundaries. When referring to the physical tool, there are few direct synonyms, but many related terms depending on the function. A 'broom' is similar to a brush but is specifically designed with a long handle for sweeping floors. A 'comb' is used for hair but lacks bristles. A 'sponge' or 'cloth' might be used for cleaning, but they absorb liquid rather than scrub with bristles.

Physical Alternatives: Broom (for floors), comb (for hair, no bristles), sponge (for washing).

She used a stiff scrubbing brush rather than a soft sponge to clean the grout.

When dealing with the metaphorical meaning of a brief encounter, several excellent synonyms exist. 'Encounter' is a formal, neutral term that can replace brush in many contexts, though it lacks the implication of brevity and slight danger. 'Skirmish' is a good synonym when the brush involves conflict, such as a minor fight or argument. 'Scrape' is an informal synonym for a difficult situation or a minor problem with authority.

His brief brush with the law was similar to the scrape his brother got into last year.

Another related concept is a 'close call' or a 'near miss'. These are perfect synonyms for 'a brush with death' or 'a brush with danger'. They all convey the idea that something terrible almost happened but was ultimately avoided.

Danger Synonyms: Close call, near miss, narrow escape.

The car accident was a terrifying brush with death; it was a very close call.

When discussing the vegetation meaning (dense shrubs), synonyms include 'undergrowth', 'scrub', 'thicket', and 'bushes'. 'Undergrowth' is more formal, while 'scrub' implies dry, stunted vegetation.

The rabbit disappeared into the thick brush at the edge of the field.

Finally, for the idiom 'broad brush', related concepts include 'generalization', 'stereotype', or 'sweeping statement'. To say someone paints with a broad brush is to say they are making sweeping generalizations.

Generalization Synonyms: Sweeping statement, blanket statement, oversimplification.

Calling all millennials lazy is a massive generalization, painting an entire generation with a broad brush.

Understanding these synonyms and related terms allows for more varied and precise vocabulary choices in both writing and speaking.

How Formal Is It?

Niveau de difficulté

Grammaire à connaître

Countable vs. Uncountable nouns (brush as tool vs. brush as vegetation)

Prepositional phrases (a brush WITH)

Compound nouns (toothbrush, paintbrush)

Idiomatic expressions and fixed phrases

Noun adjuncts (broad-brush approach)

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Exemples par niveau

I use a toothbrush every morning.

A tool for cleaning teeth.

Countable noun, singular.

Where is my hair brush?

A tool for fixing hair.

Often written as one word (hairbrush) or two.

The painter needs a new brush.

A tool for painting.

Used with the article 'a'.

I have two brushes in my bag.

Plural form of brush.

Plural form adds '-es'.

This brush is very soft.

Describing the tool.

Used as the subject of the sentence.

Please buy a brush for the dog.

A tool for grooming an animal.

Used as the object of the verb 'buy'.

The brush is on the table.

Location of the object.

Used with the definite article 'the'.

I clean my shoes with a brush.

Tool used for cleaning.

Used after the preposition 'with'.

She used a scrubbing brush to clean the dirty floor.

A hard brush for cleaning.

Compound noun 'scrubbing brush'.

He bought a special brush for his new car.

A tool for washing a vehicle.

Modified by the adjective 'special'.

Give your coat a quick brush before we leave.

The action of cleaning with a brush.

Used as a singular event with the verb 'give'.

The artist has a box full of different brushes.

Many painting tools.

Plural noun after 'full of'.

I need a toilet brush for the bathroom.

A specific cleaning tool.

Specific compound noun.

The bristles on this brush are too hard.

The parts of the tool.

Used in a prepositional phrase 'on this brush'.

Wash the paint brush with warm water.

Cleaning the tool.

Object of the verb 'wash'.

She keeps her makeup brushes very clean.

Tools for cosmetics.

Plural compound noun.

The rabbit hid in the thick brush near the forest.

Dense bushes and small trees.

Uncountable noun meaning vegetation.

I felt the light brush of her hand on my shoulder.

A gentle, sweeping touch.

Singular noun meaning a touch.

We need to clear the dry brush to prevent fires.

Dead vegetation.

Uncountable noun modified by 'dry'.

He used a wire brush to remove the rust from the metal.

A tool with metal bristles.

Specific type of tool.

The recipe says to use a pastry brush for the butter.

A cooking tool.

Specific culinary tool.

Give the dog a good brush; he is shedding hair.

The act of grooming.

Used with 'give' and an adjective.

The hiker pushed through the heavy brush to find the path.

Thick plants.

Uncountable noun meaning vegetation.

She bought a set of high-quality watercolor brushes.

Specific art tools.

Plural noun in a descriptive phrase.

His speeding ticket was his first brush with the law.

A minor legal problem.

Metaphorical phrase 'brush with'.

Surviving the car crash was a terrifying brush with death.

A near-fatal experience.

Metaphorical phrase 'brush with death'.

The politician painted his opponents with a broad brush.

Making a general, unfair statement.

Idiom 'paint with a broad brush'.

After her brush with danger, she became much more careful.

A brief encounter with a risky situation.

Metaphorical phrase 'brush with danger'.

It's unfair to use a broad brush to describe an entire generation.

A sweeping generalization.

Idiom 'use a broad brush'.

He had a brief brush with fame when his video went viral.

A short experience of being famous.

Metaphorical phrase 'brush with fame'.

The report takes a broad-brush approach to the economic crisis.

A general, non-specific method.

Used as a compound adjective 'broad-brush'.

Her brush with illness made her appreciate her health more.

A short period of being sick.

Metaphorical phrase 'brush with illness'.

Because of the scandal, all the directors were tarred with the same brush.

Unfairly associated with someone else's faults.

Idiom 'tarred with the same brush', passive voice.

The author's broad-brush critique fails to capture the nuances of the policy.

A generalized criticism lacking detail.

Compound adjective modifying 'critique'.

His early brush with poverty profoundly shaped his political philosophy.

A brief experience of being poor.

Metaphorical phrase used in a complex sentence.

The electric motor failed because the carbon brushes were completely worn out.

Technical components in a motor.

Technical, specific plural noun.

She dismissed the complex arguments with a broad brush, alienating the experts.

Ignoring details through generalization.

Idiom used to describe a dismissive action.

The minor skirmish was just a brush compared to the war that followed.

A very small fight or encounter.

Metaphorical use meaning a minor conflict.

They refused to be tarred with the same brush as their corrupt predecessors.

Refusing to share a bad reputation.

Idiom 'tarred with the same brush', passive infinitive.

The archaeologist used a fine brush to delicately reveal the ancient artifact.

A very delicate tool for scientific work.

Literal use in a highly specific, professional context.

The biographer avoided painting the historical figure with a broad brush, opting instead for meticulous detail.

Avoiding sweeping generalizations in writing.

Idiom used in a complex literary context.

Her fleeting brush with the avant-garde movement left an indelible mark on her later poetry.

A very brief but impactful involvement.

Highly descriptive metaphorical phrase.

It is a fallacy to assume that all dissenters can be tarred with the same brush of treason.

A logical error of unfair association.

Idiom used in a formal, philosophical argument.

The wind through the dry brush provided a whispering soundtrack to the desolate landscape.

Vegetation in a literary description.

Uncountable noun used for atmospheric description.

He survived the political purge, but the brush with ruin aged him a decade.

A close encounter with total destruction.

Metaphorical phrase 'brush with ruin'.

The critic's broad-brush dismissal of the entire genre revealed his own intellectual laziness.

A generalized rejection.

Compound adjective modifying 'dismissal'.

Even a slight brush against the highly toxic plant can cause severe dermatitis.

A very light physical contact.

Singular noun meaning a light touch.

The narrative captures the protagonist's terrifying brush with mortality in exquisite, harrowing prose.

A near-death experience described in literature.

Metaphorical phrase 'brush with mortality'.

Synonymes

applicator broom whisk encounter skirmish clash

Antonymes

avoidance evasion

Collocations courantes

brush with the law

brush with death

paint brush

hair brush

tooth brush

broad brush

wire brush

scrubbing brush

give a brush

tarred with the same brush

Phrases Courantes

a brush with

paint with a broad brush

tarred with the same brush

give it a brush

a broad-brush approach

clear the brush

a brush of the hand

carbon brushes

pastry brush

toilet brush

Souvent confondu avec

brush vs comb

brush vs broom

brush vs encounter

Expressions idiomatiques

"tarred with the same brush"

"paint with a broad brush"

"a brush with death"

"a brush with the law"

"a broad-brush approach"

"give someone the brush-off"

"brush something under the carpet"

"brush up on"

"brush aside"

"brush past"

Facile à confondre

brush vs

Structures de phrases

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Comment l'utiliser

nuances

'A brush with' implies escaping the worst possible outcome. You survive a brush with death; you aren't ruined by a brush with the law.

formality

The literal meanings are neutral. The metaphorical 'brush with' is neutral to slightly formal (journalistic). The idioms 'broad brush' and 'tarred with the same brush' are formal/analytical.

Erreurs courantes

Saying 'a brush of death' instead of 'a brush with death'.
Confusing a brush (bristles) with a comb (teeth).
Using 'brush' to describe a long, permanent situation (e.g., 'my 10-year brush with marriage').
Forgetting the hyphen in 'broad-brush approach'.
Using 'brush' to mean a large forest with tall trees, rather than low shrubs.

Astuces

Preposition Pairing

Always pair the metaphorical 'brush' with the preposition 'with'. It is never 'a brush of the law' or 'a brush against death'. Memorize 'a brush with' as a single vocabulary chunk.

Compound Nouns

English uses 'brush' to form many compound nouns. The first word tells you the purpose or material: toothbrush, hairbrush, paintbrush, wire brush, toilet brush.

Broad Brush

Use 'broad brush' when you want to criticize someone for stereotyping or making unfair generalizations. It sounds very advanced and analytical in essays or debates.

Give it a brush

Instead of saying 'I will brush my coat', try saying 'I will give my coat a brush'. This structure (give + object + a + noun) is very common and sounds highly native.

Nature Context

If you are reading a book about hiking, cowboys, or the wilderness, and you see the word 'brush', it almost certainly means thick bushes, not a hair tool.

Plural Syllable

Don't forget to pronounce the extra syllable in the plural 'brushes'. It should sound like 'brush-iz', not just a long 'sh' sound.

Hyphenation

When using 'broad brush' as an adjective before a noun, hyphenate it: 'a broad-brush approach'. If it's part of the verb phrase, don't: 'to paint with a broad brush'.

Intensity Warning

Only use 'a brush with' for serious things that you *escaped*. A brush with death means you lived. A brush with the law means you didn't go to prison for life.

Alternatives

If you use 'brush with' too much in an essay, switch to 'close call' or 'brief encounter' to show vocabulary variety.

Mental Image

To remember the idiom 'tarred with the same brush', imagine two people literally painted with sticky black tar. It helps cement the idea of a shared negative mark.

Mémorise-le

Moyen mnémotechnique

Imagine a BRUSH sweeping away a minor problem—that's a brief BRUSH with trouble.

Origine du mot

Middle English

Contexte culturel

'Tarred with the same brush' likely comes from the practice of marking a flock of sheep with the same tar mark to show ownership, meaning they all belong to the same group.

In Australia and parts of the US, 'brush' heavily refers to wild vegetation, whereas in the UK, 'scrub' or 'bush' might be preferred in some contexts.

Pratique dans la vie réelle

Contextes réels

Amorces de conversation

"Have you ever had a terrifying brush with danger?"

"What kind of brush do you use for your hair?"

"Do you think the media paints politicians with a broad brush?"

"How often should you replace your toothbrush?"

"Have you ever had a minor brush with the law, like a speeding ticket?"

Sujets d'écriture

Describe a time you had a close brush with danger or an accident.

Write about a situation where you felt someone was painted with a broad brush unfairly.

List all the different types of brushes you use in a single week and their purposes.

Invent a story about an artist whose magic brush brings paintings to life.

Reflect on a minor brush with authority you had as a teenager.

Questions fréquentes

10 questions

No. The metaphorical use of 'brush' strictly implies a brief, passing encounter. If you were married for ten years, it is not a 'brush with marriage'. It is only used for short experiences, like a 'brush with fame' that lasted a week.

A brush has many flexible bristles or pins set into a base. A comb has a single row of rigid teeth. You use a brush for smoothing and a comb for detangling or parting hair.

It depends on the meaning. When it means the tool (a toothbrush), it is countable. When it means dense wild bushes (clearing the brush), it is uncountable.

The phrase comes from the idea of something lightly touching or grazing you as it passes. You came close to serious legal trouble, but it only 'brushed' you, meaning the consequences were minor or temporary.

It is an idiom meaning to describe a complex situation in very general terms, ignoring the specific details or individual differences. It's like using a large paintbrush to cover a wall quickly, missing the fine details.

Yes, 'brush' is a very common verb meaning to use a brush (e.g., I brush my teeth) or to touch lightly (e.g., he brushed past me). This API response focuses specifically on its use as a noun.

It means that someone is unfairly thought to have the same bad qualities as someone else they are associated with. If one politician is corrupt, the others might be tarred with the same brush by the public.

Yes, in the context of vegetation, 'brush' is often a shortened form of 'brushwood', referring to cut or broken branches, or dense thickets of shrubs.

The plural is 'brushes'. Because the singular ends in an 'sh' sound, you add 'es' and pronounce it as an extra syllable: /brʌʃɪz/.

It is a technical term in electrical engineering. It refers to a block of carbon used to conduct electrical current between stationary and rotating parts of a motor.

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