brush aside
B2 neutral separable transitive
In simple words
To ignore something or treat it as if it's not worth paying attention to.
Literal meaning: To physically move something to the side with a brush of the hand — extended to dismissing ideas or people.
Meanings
1 B2
idiomatic
neutral
To dismiss or refuse to consider an objection, concern, or criticism as if it were trivial.
"The CEO brushed aside shareholders' concerns about the merger."
Grammar: separable
2 B1 neutral
To push or move something or someone out of the way with little effort.
"She brushed aside the curtain and stepped onto the balcony."
Grammar: separable
Usage notes
Common in journalistic and formal written English. The object is usually an abstract noun: concerns, objections, questions, criticism, doubts. Implies a certain confidence or arrogance on the part of the subject.
Commonly used with
concerns objections criticism doubts questions opposition
Forms
Base
brush aside
I/you/we/they
3rd person
brushes aside
he/she/it
Past simple
brushed aside
yesterday
Past participle
brushed aside
have + pp
-ing form
brushing aside
continuous
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