bow-legged wi' brass
Wealthy; having lots of money.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“That man is bow-legged wi' brass.”
“She acts like she is bow-legged wi' brass after her promotion.”
“They are bow-legged wi' brass and own three private islands.”
“Everyone knows the family is bow-legged wi' brass, so they can afford the most expensive house in town.”
“After winning the national lottery, my quiet neighbor became bow-legged wi' brass and bought a fleet of luxury cars.”
“You do not need to worry about the bill because the host is bow-legged wi' brass and loves to pay for everyone.”
“Despite his humble appearance, the local merchant is famously bow-legged wi' brass, holding more wealth than the rest of the village combined.”
A northern English colloquialism, from the observation that the sheer weight of coins in one's pockets would cause the legs to buckle outwards. The expression implies a degree of wealth so substantial that it becomes a matter of physical deformity. The image relies upon the inconvenience of carrying one's fortune in metal, treating the resulting bow-legged gait as a symptom of excessive liquidity.
- 01
brass ceiling
An unwritten, uncodified barrier to promotion or progression for women in law enforcement or the military.
- 02
brass farthing
Something worthless or of small value.
- 03
brass monkey
Very cold.
- 04
brass monkeys
Very cold.
- 05
brass neck
Gall, shamelessness, cheek.
- 06
double in brass
To perform two or more tasks within the same project or organization.
- 07
get down to brass tacks
To (start to) consider or deal with the most important details or facts about something.
- 08
not worth a brass farthing
Worth nothing or next to nothing.
Last updated August 10, 2026