[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/brushing.html)

[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [dictionaries](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/) / [The school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/) / brushing

[← B](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/B/)

# brushing

«brushing» in Mova's school dictionary: **cleaning or tidying something with a brush: brushing your…** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 5 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

verb form (-ing form of brush: brush, brushes, brushed, brushing); noun (brushing, uncountable)

### meaning for a pupil

1) Brushing means cleaning or tidying something with a brush: brushing your teeth, brushing your hair. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/brushing/#m1)

2) Brushing means touching something lightly as you pass: the leaves were brushing my face. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/brushing/#m2)

3) Brushing can mean putting paint, oil or egg on something with a brush. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/brushing/#m3)

4) As a noun, brushing is the act of cleaning with a brush. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/brushing/#m4)

### sense in the lessons

In hygiene lessons tooth brushing is very important: brush twice a day (morning and before bed) for about two minutes with fluoride toothpaste, reaching all the teeth and the gumline; this removes plaque and bacteria that cause holes. Brushing your hair and brushing pets (to keep their fur clean) are everyday care. In stories «brushing» can describe gentle touch: a cat brushing against your legs. Phrases: brushing your teeth, brushing your hair, brush off (ignore), brush up on (practise again).

### examples

- I'm brushing my teeth before bed. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/brushing/#x1)
- Brushing twice a day keeps your teeth healthy. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/brushing/#x2)
- Brushing your teeth should take about two minutes. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/brushing/#x3)
- She is brushing the dog's fur. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/brushing/#x4)
- The cat was brushing against my legs. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/brushing/#x5)
- Dad was brushing egg on the pastry. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/brushing/#x6)
- I'm brushing up on my times tables before the test. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/brushing/#x7)
- Don't forget brushing your tongue too. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/brushing/#x8)
- After some time, however, a gentleman who came to his master’s house gave Whittington a penny for brushing his shoes. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/brushing/#x9)

### note

Spelling: brush → brushes, brushed, brushing. Spit out toothpaste after brushing but you don't need to rinse with lots of water (the fluoride works longer). «Brush off» means ignore someone or something unkindly; «brush up on» means practise again.

### In the corpora

- [Acid softens tooth enamel for a short time, so it is better to wait a while after a fizzy drink before brushing.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/chemistry/15-acids-in-the-kitchen/13/)
- [After brushing you spit out the toothpaste but do not rinse straight away, so the fluoride keeps protecting the teeth.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/73-brushing-your-teeth/8/)
- [After brushing, spit out the toothpaste but do not rinse your mouth with water straight away.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/208-teeth-nails-baths-and-toilets/5/)
- [Turning off the tap while brushing your teeth saves a lot of water every day.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/360-sandwiches-taps-lights-paper-and-the-buffet/13/)
- [So Owen got clever and wet the brush under the tap without brushing.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/427-i-did-brush-my-teeth-little-lies-at-home/2/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «brushing» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/brushing/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.