Phrasal verb
brush down
Definition
phrasal verb. to clean dust, dirt, or fluff off your clothes or an animal using your hands or a brush. You do this to make yourself look tidy.
phrasal verb. To remove loose debris from a surface, typically clothing or an animal, using a brush or the hands. This transitive phrasal verb often implies a quick but thorough cleaning of the entire object.
Examples
“Please brush down your coat before you go inside.”
“After falling in the dry grass, he had to brush himself down thoroughly to remove all the seeds and dust from his trousers.”
“The valet meticulously brushed down the general's uniform, ensuring not a single speck of lint remained before the formal inspection began.”
Examples
simple
“Please brush down your coat before you go inside.”
contextual
“After falling in the dry grass, he had to brush himself down thoroughly to remove all the seeds and dust from his trousers.”
complex
“The valet meticulously brushed down the general's uniform, ensuring not a single speck of lint remained before the formal inspection began.”
Usage
Commonly used with clothing items or people as the direct object.
Teaching tip
Contrast with 'brush off', which focuses on a specific spot of dirt, while 'brush down' covers the whole surface.
Pitfall
The manager brushed him down for the mistake.
The manager dressed him down for the mistake.
'Brush down' refers to physical cleaning, whereas 'dress down' is the correct idiom for a severe verbal reprimand.
Phrasal verb
Particles
down
Separability
optional
Pattern
brush + down + object
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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