Part 843

5. A thicket of shrubs or small trees; the shrubs and small trees in a wood; underbrush.

6. (Elec.) A bundle of flexible wires or thin plates of metal, used to conduct an electrical current to or from the commutator of a dynamo, electric motor, or similar apparatus.

7. The act of brushing; as, to give one's clothes a brush; a rubbing or grazing with a quick motion; a light touch; as, we got a brush from the wheel as it passed.

8. A skirmish; a slight encounter; a shock or collision; as, to have a brush with an enemy.

Let grow thy sinews till their knots be strong, And tempt not yet the brushes of the war. Shak.

9. A short contest, or trial, of speed.

Let us enjoy a brush across the country. Cornhill Mag.

Electrical brush, a form of the electric discharge characterized by a brushlike appearance of luminous rays diverging from an electrified body.

Brush, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Brushed (&?;); p. pr. & vb. n. Brushing.] [OE. bruschen; cf. F. brosser. See Brush, n.] 1. To apply a brush to, according to its particular use; to rub, smooth, clean, paint, etc., with a brush. "A' brushes his hat o' mornings." Shak.

2. To touch in passing, or to pass lightly over, as with a brush.

Some spread their sailes, some with strong oars sweep The waters smooth, and brush the buxom wave. Fairfax.

Brushed with the kiss of rustling wings. Milton.

3. To remove or gather by brushing, or by an act like that of brushing, or by passing lightly over, as wind; -- commonly with off.

As wicked dew as e'er my mother brushed With raven's feather from unwholesome fen. Shak.

And from the boughts brush off the evil dew. Milton.

To brush aside, to remove from one's way, as with a brush. -- To brush away, to remove, as with a brush or brushing motion. -- To brush up, to paint, or make clean or bright with a brush; to cleanse or improve; to renew.

You have commissioned me to paint your shop, and I have done my best to brush you up like your neighbors. Pope.

Brush, v. i. To move nimbly in haste; to move so lightly as scarcely to be perceived; as, to brush by.

Snatching his hat, he brushed off like the wind. Goldsmith.

Brush"er (&?;), n. One who, or that which, brushes.

Brush"i*ness (&?;), n. The quality of resembling a brush; brushlike condition; shagginess. Dr. H. More.

Brush"ing, a. 1. Constructed or used to brush with; as a brushing machine.

2. Brisk; light; as, a brushing gallop.

Brush"ite (&?;), n. [From George J. Brush, an American mineralogist.] (Min.) A white or gray crystalline mineral consisting of the acid phosphate of calcium.

Brush" tur`key (&?;). (Zoöl.) A large, edible, gregarious bird of Australia (Talegalla Lathami) of the family Megapodidæ. Also applied to several allied species of New Guinea.

The brush turkeys live in the "brush," and construct a common nest by collecting a large heap of decaying vegetable matter, which generates heat sufficient to hatch the numerous eggs (sometimes half a bushel) deposited in it by the females of the flock.

Brush" wheel` (&?;). 1. A wheel without teeth, used to turn a similar one by the friction of bristles or something brushlike or soft attached to the circumference.

2. A circular revolving brush used by turners, lapidaries, silversmiths, etc., for polishing.