brush up

verb

brushed up; brushing up; brushes up

transitive verb

1
: to improve or polish as if by brushing
2
: to renew one's skill in
brush up your Spanish

intransitive verb

: to refresh one's memory : renew one's skill
brush up on math
brushup noun

Examples of brush up in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
And be sure to brush up on these smart-giving tips to ensure your donation makes the most impact. Alayna Alvarez, Axios, 3 Dec. 2024 More than any drug since crack, the stories of fentanyl’s spread through the United States brush up against the edge of myth. Benjamin Wallace-Wells, The New Yorker, 26 Nov. 2024 Price target update: There are a bunch of stocks in the portfolio currently brushing up against our price targets. Jeff Marks, CNBC, 11 Oct. 2024 Fact checked by Sarah Scott Parents of tweens and teens like me are always in need of a brush up on current slang terms, such as lala bop, and rizz. Melissa Willets, Parents, 1 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for brush up 

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1600, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of brush up was circa 1600

Dictionary Entries Near brush up

Cite this Entry

“Brush up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brush%20up. Accessed 23 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

brush up

verb
: to refresh one's memory, skill, or knowledge
brush up on your Spanish

More from Merriam-Webster on brush up

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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