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Brassed Off Meaning - Streetionary

Brassed Off (adjective / UK Slang)

(Also heard as: Brassed off with, Totally brassed off, Browned off)

Definition:

Brassed off means fed up, annoyed or disappointed, especially when something has gone on too long. If you are brassed off with the weather, you are sick of it. It is a mild, slightly old-fashioned way to say you are irritated, and it is often used in northern England.

Where Brassed Off Comes From:

The phrase appeared in British military slang in the early 1900s. “Brassed off” may be linked to the idea of the brass polishing that soldiers had to do, which was a tedious chore, or to “brassed” meaning to be annoyed. It became widely known through the 1996 British film Brassed Off, a comedy-drama about a colliery brass band in Yorkshire.

How People Actually Use Brassed Off:

It is used for everyday annoyances: “I am brassed off with these delays”. It often comes with a sense of weary resignation. Younger people use it less, preferring words like “gutted” or “fed up”, but it is still familiar.

Is Brassed Off Rude?

No. It is a mild, safe expression for frustration, although some very old versions of related phrases were stronger.

Examples in the Wild:

“I am brassed off with this rain.”
Meaning: I am sick of the wet weather.
“He was brassed off about missing the train.”
Meaning: He was annoyed and disappointed.
“Everyone is brassed off with the roadworks.”
Meaning: People are fed up with the disruption.