brush away
phrasal verb·1 sense·particle away
Meanings
Push aside dismissively
Why “away”? A broom sweeps aside. Unwanted items are pushed out of the scene.
“He brushed away her concerns.”
“The manager brushed away our complaints.”
Don't confuse with
Brush away means push aside dismissively. Brush off means dismiss something or someone as unimportant.
Test yourself
“He brushed away her concerns.” What does it mean?
Nearby in the meaning map
Sink In connects verbs by particle pattern, contrast pairs, and shared base verbs.
brush off
A contrast learners often mix up
Dismiss something or someone as unimportant; Remove dust or dirt by sweeping it lightly; Refuse to talk to someone politely
blow away
Same away pattern: removal
Be carried away by the wind; Greatly impress someone
carry away
Same away pattern: removal
Become so excited or absorbed that you lose self-control
cart away
Same away pattern: removal
Take something or someone away in a vehicle, often without ceremony
clear away
Same away pattern: removal
Remove items to tidy a space
do away
Same away pattern: removal
Remove something completely or abolish it; Murder someone (informal)
give away
Same away pattern: removal
Give something free of charge to someone; Reveal a secret, often unintentionally; Formally hand a bride to the groom at a wedding
shoo away
Same away pattern: removal
Drive away with gestures or noise
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