{v.} 1. To take care of (a child); raise, train, educate.
•/He gave much attention and thought to bringing up his children./ •/Joe
was born in Texas but brought up in Oklahoma./ 2. {informal} To stop;
halt. — Usually used with "short". •/He brought the car up short when the
light changed to red./ •/Bill started to complain, I brought him up
short./ 3. To begin a discussion of; speak of; mention. •/At the class
meeting Bob brought up the idea of a picnic./
[bring up the rear]
{v. phr.} 1. To come last in a march, parade, or
procession; end a line. •/The fire truck with Santa on it brought up the rear
of the Christmas parade./ •/The governor and his staff brought up the rear
of the parade./ 2. {informal} To do least well; do the most poorly of a
group; be last. •/In the race, John brought up the rear./ •/In the
basketball tournament, our team brought up the rear./
[bring]
or [wheel in] or [out] or [up the big guns]{v.
phr.} To make use of a concealed plan in order to defeat an opponent in an
argument or in a game, debate, or competition. •/The new computer software
company decided to bring out the big guns to get ahead of the competition./
[broke]
See: GO BROKE, GO FOR BROKE, STONE-BROKE OT DEAD BROKE or FLAT
BROKE, STRAW THAT BROKE THE CAMEL’S BACK.
[Bronx cheer]
{n. phr.}, {slang} A loud sound made with tongue and
lips to show opposition or scorn. •/When he began to show anti-union
feelings, he was greeted with Bronx cheers all around./
[broom]
See: NEW BROOM SWEEPS CLEAN.
[broth]
See: SCOTCH BROTH.
[brow]
See: BY THE SWEAT OF ONE’S BROW.
[brown]
See: DO UP BROWN.
[brown-bagger]
{n.}, {slang}, {informal} A person who does not
go to the cafeteria or to a restaurant for lunch at work, but who brings his
homemade lunch to work in order to save money. •/John became a brown-bagger
not because he can’t afford the restaurant, but because he is too busy to go
there./
[brown-nose]
{v.}, {slang}, {avoidable}, {though gaining in
acceptance} To curry favor in a subservient way, as by obviously exaggerated
flattery. •/Max brown-noses his teachers, that’s why he gets all A’s in his
courses./ Compare: POLISH THE APPLE.
[brown paper bag]
{n.}, {slang}, {citizen’s band radio jargon}
An unmarked police car. •/The beaver got a Christmas card because she didn’t
notice the brown paper bag at her back door./ See: PLAIN WHITE WRAPPER.
[brown study]
{n. phr.} A time of deep thought about something; a deep
thoughtful mood. •/When his wife found him, he had pushed away his books and
was in a brown study./
[brush]
See: BEAT THE BUSHES or BEAT THE BRUSH.
[brush aside]
{v. phr.} To ignore; give no reply. •/Brushing aside
the editor’s comments, the young novelist proceeded with his story, which was
subsequently rejected by the publisher./
[brush back]
{v.} To throw a baseball pitch close to. •/The pitcher
threw a high inside pitch to brush the batter back./ Syn.: DUST OFF.
[brushoff]
See: GET THE BRUSHOFF, BRUSH OFF or GIVE THE BRUSHOFF.