give someone the brush-off
To rebuff, snub or curtly reject someone.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“He gave me the brush-off when I asked for help.”
“I tried to talk to my neighbor, but she gave me the brush-off and walked away.”
“Despite his desperate attempts to explain the misunderstanding, the manager gave him the brush-off and closed the office door.”
- 01
as if someone owns the place
Alternative form of like someone owns the place.
- 02
beat someone round the ears
To beat (a person) with blows about the head.
- 03
bless someone with
To give or bestow, as a gift from God.
- 04
bring someone to their knees
To defeat and make submit to orders.
- 05
call someone every name in the book
To call someone many abusive names.
- 06
call someone everything but a child of God
To call someone many abusive names.
- 07
catch someone napping
To take advantage of someone's inattention.
- 08
cry someone a river
To weep profusely or excessively in the presence of another person.
Last updated August 10, 2026