■ noun
1》 a yellow alloy of copper and zinc.
↘(also horse ~ ) Brit. a flat ~ ornament for the harness of a draught horse.
↘a memorial consisting of a flat piece of inscribed ~ set into the wall or floor of a church.
↘a ~ block used for stamping a design on a book binding.
2》 ~ wind instruments forming a band or section of an orchestra.
3》 (also top ~ ) informal people in authority.
4》 Brit. informal money.
Phrases
~ed off Brit. informal exasperated.
~ monkey Brit. informal used to indicate extremely cold weather: cold enough to freeze the balls off a ~ monkey. [from a type of ~ rack or ‘monkey’ in which cannonballs were stored and which contracted in very cold weather, ejecting the balls.]
get down to ~ tacks informal start to consider the basic facts or practical details.
Origin
OE bræs , of unknown origin.