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REFERENCE

brush by

idiom
Meaning

To walk past another person, touching them slightly, normally by accident, and ignoring them.


Examples
SIMPLE

He brushed by me in the hallway without saying sorry.

CONTEXTUAL

The crowd was so thick that people constantly brushed by me while I waited for the train.

COMPLEX

She hurried through the busy station, barely noticing the strangers who brushed by her as she rushed to catch the final departure.

Anchors to
Related idioms7entries
  1. 01

    broad brush

    A style or approach that deals with something in very general, sweeping terms, without attention to fine details or subtle nuances.

  2. 02

    brush aside

    To disregard, dismiss or ignore something, as unimportant.

  3. 03

    brush down

    To straighten up one's clothes and to tidy up one's appearance.

  4. 04

    brush off

    To disregard (something), to dismiss or ignore (someone), as unimportant.

  5. 05

    brush up

    To review; to improve an existing but rusty or underdeveloped skill.

  6. 06

    live over the brush

    To cohabit without being married.

  7. 07

    paint with a broad brush

    To describe a class of objects or a kind of phenomenon in general terms, without specific details and without attention to individual variations.

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