brush
UK[brʌʃ]US[brʌʃ]
n
An object with short pieces of stiff hair, plastic, or wire attached to a base or handle, used for cleaning, painting, tidying hair, etc.
n
An act of cleaning, smoothing, or tidying something with a brush.
v
To clean, smooth, or tidy something with a brush.
v
To touch something lightly and quickly in passing.
Etymology
The word 'brush' has a journey rooted in the natural world. It entered Middle English from Old French, where it originally described dense, twiggy undergrowth or brushwood. This literal sense of a thicket of small branches logically extended to the tool made from bundled twigs or hairs used for sweeping. Over time, the meaning evolved from the material itself to the implement crafted from it, and further to the action of using such an implement. The modern senses of a light, quick touch and a brief, minor encounter are metaphorical extensions from the physical action of the tool passing over a surface.
Analysis
The modern English word 'brush' is a simplex form. It is derived from the Middle English noun 'brusshe', which referred to a brush or a bundle of twigs. Its ultimate origin is likely the Old French 'broisse' or 'broce', meaning 'a brushwood' or 'thicket'.
Examples
She used a stiff brush to clean the mud from her boots.
He gave his jacket a quick brush before the interview.
Her fingers accidentally brushed against his as they reached for the same book.