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brash

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brash¹

  • /ˈbɹæʃ/
  • [ˈbɹʷæʃ]

Rhymes with -æʃ

Where it comes from

Uncertain. Perhaps from Scots brash, brasch (“a violent onset; an attack or assault”). Perhaps also related to Dutch bars (“stern; strict”), German barsch (“harsh; unfriendly”), Danish barsk (“harsh; rough; tough”), Swedish barsk (“harsh; impetuous”).

adjective brasher · more brash · brashest · most brash

  1. of people or behaviour Overly bold or self-assertive to the point of being insensitive, tactless or impudent; shameless. a brash young businessman; a brash tabloid; a brash sense of humour

    Similar: audacious, brassy, brazen, cocky, undiplomatic

  2. of actions Overly bold, impetuous or rash. […] just because you’re a little hot under the collar, don’t do anything brash, for fear you may regret it afterward.

    Similar: foolhardy, reckless

  3. of things Bold, bright or showy, often in a tasteless way. brash colours

    Similar: flashy, garish, loud, splashy, bedizened, blatant, blingish, brash, campy, catchpenny, chichi, chintzy

noun brashes

  1. countable, uncountable A rash or eruption; a sudden or transient fit of sickness.
  2. countable, uncountable A sudden burst of rain.
  3. countable, obsolete, uncountable An attack or assault.

verb brashes · brashing · brashed

  1. obsolete, transitive To disturb.

brash²

  • /ˈbɹæʃ/
  • [ˈbɹʷæʃ]

Rhymes with -æʃ

Where it comes from

Compare American English bresk, brusk (“fragile, brittle”).

adjective brasher · more brash · brashest · most brash

  1. US, colloquial, dated Brittle (said e.g. of wood or vegetables). Hickory axles […] all cut from tough butt logs. Brash timber is excluded.

noun brashes

  1. countable, uncountable Leaf litter of small leaves and little twigs as found under a hedge.
  2. countable, uncountable Broken and angular rock fragments underlying alluvial deposits. Alluvium differs from the rubble or brash, just described, as being composed of sand and gravel, more or less rolled
  3. countable, uncountable Broken fragments of ice. The sea dashed in an angry surf over its inclined sides, rattling the icy fragments or “brash” against its irregular surface

Brash³

Where it comes from

Two main origins:

* Scottish surname; probably from brash, a nickname for an impetuous person.

* Americanized spelling of German Braasch.

proper noun Brashes

  1. A surname.

Translations

Every language

adj overly bold or self-assertive

Españolprocaz
Portuguêsprocaz
Françaissuffisant, m'as-tu-vu, culotté
Deutschdreist, forsch, frech, schnodderig, keck
Românătupeist, obraznic, impertinent

adj impetuous or rash

Françaisculotté
Deutschnassforsch, übermütig

adj bold, bright or showy

Françaiscriard, tape-à-l'œil
Deutschschrill, grell, knallig

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MLA

"brash." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/brash. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

brash. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/brash

Chicago

"brash." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/brash.

BibTeX
@misc{brash_2026,
  title = {brash},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/brash},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}