get down to brass tacks
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get down to brass tacks
- /ɡɛt ˈdaʊn tə bɹɑːs ˈtæks/ UK
- /ɡɛt ˈdaʊn tə bɹæs ˈtæks/ US
Rhymes with -æks
Where it comes from
The origin is uncertain. It is probably a variant of the earlier term down to the brass (see, for example, the 1854 quotation), and the following etymologies have been suggested:
* The term refers to the brass tacks used in upholstery which have to be removed when a piece of furniture is reupholstered, or brass tacks stuck into the counter of a draper’s shop or hardware store to measure items precisely in yards.
* Another possibility is that the brass tacks are nails used to seal coffin lids, or tacks used to decorate or indicate a deceased person’s initials on such lids, and thus the term refers to dealing with matters as serious as death.
verb gets down to brass tacks · getting down to brass tacks · got down to brass tacks · gotten down to brass tacks
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To (start to) consider or deal with the most important details or facts about something.
He did not wish to delay action, but was ready to vote instanter.—A reference now would amount to a defeat of the memorial. It was better to come right down to the brass and vote.
Similar: break down to brass tacks, cut to the chase, drill down, get down to bedrock, get down to brass nails, get down to business, get down to cases, get down to nuts and bolts, get down to the nitty-gritty, get right down to cases, get right into it, roll up one's sleeves
Translations
Every language
verb to (start to) consider or deal with the most important details or facts about something
| Español | ir al grano |
|---|---|
| Français | passer aux choses sérieuses |
| Deutsch | zur Sache kommen |
| Italiano | darsi da fare, darsi una mossa, entrare nei dettagli, rimboccarsi le maniche, venire al dunque, venire al sodo |
| Русский | переходить к сути дела perexoditʹ k suti dela |
Talk about this word "get down to brass tacks." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/get%20down%20to%20brass%20tacks. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. get down to brass tacks. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/get%20down%20to%20brass%20tacks "get down to brass tacks." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/get%20down%20to%20brass%20tacks.Cite this
@misc{get_down_to_brass_tacks_2026,
title = {get down to brass tacks},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/get%20down%20to%20brass%20tacks},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
