Idiom
brass neck
Meanings
extreme nerve or audacity, often seen as cheeky or shameless
Definition
The idiom "brass neck" means extreme confidence and boldness, often in a rude or shameless way.
"Brass neck" refers to having the nerve to do or say something that most people would feel too embarrassed or ashamed to do. It often suggests someone is pushy, cheeky, or shameless rather than admirable. In British English it commonly appears in the phrase "have the brass neck to".
Examples
- He had the brass neck to ask for a refund after breaking it himself.
- It takes a real brass neck to turn up late and complain about the service.
- She had the brass neck to criticise my work when she hadn’t finished hers.
- They’ve got a brass neck, demanding a pay rise after months of poor results.
Common mistake
Learners often use it as a literal phrase about the body or metal, but it is an idiom meaning audacity (usually in "have the brass neck to").
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