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📖
Featured Word B2

brush (noun)

A tool consisting of bristles, hair, or wire set into a handle, used for cleaning, grooming, or applying paint. Metaphorically, in academic and formal contexts, it refers to a brief, often unpleasant, encounter or skirmish with something.

💬 Example

"She used a soft brush to remove the dust from the old photograph."

💡 Memory Tip

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

🏛️ Origin

🔗 Synonyms
applicator broom whisk encounter skirmish
⚠️ Common Mistakes

Saying 'a brush of death' instead of 'a brush with death'.

Confusing a brush (bristles) with a comb (teeth).