From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishbrush somebody/something ↔ off phrasal verbREJECT/NOT ACCEPTto refuse to listen to someone or their ideas, especially by ignoring them or saying something rude Corman brushed off the accusations. → brush-off → brush→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
brush off• It would have been much easier to just brush it off.• Scrub away any residue with water and a stiff brush.• The fact that he'd made love to her and then tried to brush her off.• I brushed it off and placed it in the center of my palm, where it looked tiny and fragile.• This is worth dwelling on, because those who brush quality off as unaffordable abound in the business world as well.• Somebody brushes sand off his drum, as trumpets ooze.• He did not bother to brush the dirt off his knees.• She brushed dust off the toe.brush-offˈbrush-off noun [singular] REJECT/NOT ACCEPTrude or unfriendly behaviour that shows you are not interested in someone She gave him the brush-off. I tried to be friendly but I just got the brush-off. → brush off at brush2Examples from the Corpus
brush-off• What is interesting is that the brush-off did not weaken her resolve or deflect her from her mission.got the brush-off• The Liverpool lads got the brush-off and were annoyed. 