brush off
phrasal verbbrush off
- to be removed by brushing
- Mud brushes off easily when it is dry.
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brush somebody off
- to rudely ignore somebody or refuse to listen to them
- She brushed him off impatiently.
brush somebody/yourself off
(British English brush somebody/yourself down)
- to make somebody/yourself tidy, especially after you have fallen, by brushing your clothes, etc. with your hands
brush something off
- to ignore something such as a question, suggestion or criticism, or treat it as unimportant
- Concerns about the legality of the measures were brushed off by the government.
- The court brushed off his lawyer's plea for leniency.