phrasal verb brush up

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Definition of “brush up”: the exact definition of the phrasal verb “brush up” and how it is used in a sentence

The phrasal verb “brush up” means to review or refresh one’s knowledge or skills in a particular area. It is often used when preparing for a test or exam, or when preparing to use a skill that has not been used in a while.

Here is an example of how “brush up” can be used in a sentence:

“I need to brush up on my math skills before the test next week.”

This means that the speaker needs to review and refresh their knowledge of math before taking a test on the subject.

forms and tenses of brush up

Forms and tenses: the different forms and tenses of “brush up” and examples of how to use each one

The phrasal verb “brush up” is a regular verb, and its different forms and tenses are as follows:

  • Simple present: “I brush up on my Spanish every day.”
  • Present continuous: “I am brushing up on my cooking skills by watching online tutorials.”
  • Simple past: “I brushed up on my French before my trip to Paris.”
  • Past continuous: “I was brushing up on my math skills when you called.”
  • Present perfect: “I have brushed up on my public speaking skills for the big presentation tomorrow.”
  • Past perfect: “I had brushed up on my computer skills before the job interview.”
  • Future: “I will brush up on my negotiation skills before the meeting tomorrow.”
  • Future continuous: “I will be brushing up on my photography skills while on vacation.”
  • Future perfect: “I will have brushed up on my leadership skills by the time the workshop starts.”

In each of these examples, the phrasal verb “brush up” is used to indicate that the speaker is improving or refreshing their knowledge or skills in a particular area. The specific form and tense of the verb will depend on the context in which it is used, such as the speaker’s current or past actions, or their future plans.

meaning and usage of brush up

Meaning and usage: the different meanings and uses of “brush up” and examples of how to use it in different contexts

The phrasal verb “brush up” can have a few different meanings and uses depending on the context in which it is used. Here are a few examples:

  • To improve or refresh one’s knowledge or skills in a particular area: “I need to brush up on my French before my trip to Paris.”
  • To prepare for something by reviewing or practicing: “The actors are brushing up on their lines for the play.”
  • To get rid of something that is unwanted or unnecessary: “She’s been out of the dating game for a while, so she’s brushing up on her flirting skills.”
  • To tidy or clean something by using a brush: “I’m brushing up the front porch before the party tomorrow.”

In each of these examples, the phrasal verb “brush up” is used to indicate that the speaker is improving or refreshing their knowledge or skills in a particular area, preparing for something, getting rid of something unwanted, or cleaning something. The specific meaning and use of the verb will depend on the context in which it is used.

Common expressions with Brush up

Common expressions with “Brush Up”

“Brush up” is a common expression that means to review, improve, or refresh one’s knowledge, skills, or understanding of something. Here are some common expressions with “brush up”:

  1. Brush up on: To study or review a subject or skill to improve proficiency. Example: “I need to brush up on my French before my trip to Paris.”
  2. Brush up (someone’s) memory: To remind or help someone remember something they may have forgotten. Example: “I’ll brush up your memory about the meeting details.”
  3. Brush up (on something) before a test/exam: To revise or study before taking a test or exam. Example: “He’s brushing up on his math skills before the final exam.”
  4. Brush up (on something) for a job interview: To refresh knowledge or skills relevant to a job position before an interview. Example: “She’s brushing up on her presentation skills for the job interview.”
  5. Time to brush up: An expression used to suggest that it’s time to improve or refine a skill or knowledge. Example: “Your painting techniques could use some improvement; it’s time to brush up.”
  6. Brush up on etiquette: To review proper social manners or etiquette. Example: “Before attending the formal event, he decided to brush up on etiquette to make a good impression.”
  7. Brush up (something) quickly: To quickly refresh or review something. Example: “I’ll brush up the key points of the presentation before the meeting.”

These expressions showcase the versatility of “brush up” in different contexts where someone wants to improve or refresh their understanding, skills, or knowledge on a particular subject.

The list of synonyms for “Brush Up”

These words can be used interchangeably with “brush up” to convey the idea of revisiting and improving one’s knowledge, skills, or understanding in a specific area.

Here is a list of synonyms for “brush up”:

  1. Review
  2. Refresh
  3. Revise
  4. Rehearse
  5. Polish
  6. Enhance
  7. Improve
  8. Reacquaint
  9. Renew
  10. Renewal
  11. Reinforce
  12. Practice
  13. Fine-tune
  14. Upgrade
  15. Hone
  16. Revisit
  17. Recapitulate
  18. Recollect
  19. Go over
  20. Remaster

The list of antonyms for “Brush Up”

These words represent concepts opposite to “brush up” and imply actions of not revisiting, improving, or refreshing one’s knowledge, skills, or understanding of a specific subject or area.

Here is a list of antonyms for “brush up”:

  1. Forget
  2. Ignore
  3. Neglect
  4. Abandon
  5. Disregard
  6. Overlook
  7. Forsake
  8. Dismiss
  9. Neglect
  10. Disregard
  11. Shun
  12. Drop
  13. Discard
  14. Disown
  15. Forsake
  16. Leave
  17. Suppress
  18. Avoid
  19. Displace
  20. Discontinue

Example sentences with Brush Up

50 Example sentences with Brush Up

  1. I need to brush up on my French before my trip to Paris.
  2. She’s been out of school for a few years, so she needs to brush up on her math skills.
  3. The actors are brushing up on their lines for the play.
  4. I’m brushing up on my cooking skills by watching online tutorials.
  5. The team is brushing up on their defensive strategies for the game tomorrow.
  6. He’s been out of the workforce for a while, so he’s brushing up on his computer skills.
  7. I’m brushing up on my public speaking abilities by joining a local toastmasters group.
  8. The musicians are brushing up on their songs for the upcoming concert.
  9. She’s been out of the dating game for a while, so she’s brushing up on her flirting skills.
  10. I’m brushing up on my guitar playing by practicing every day.
  11. The dancers are brushing up on their choreography for the competition.
  12. He’s been out of shape for a while, so he’s brushing up on his fitness routine.
  13. I’m brushing up on my negotiation skills by reading books and attending seminars.
  14. The athletes are brushing up on their training for the upcoming season.
  15. She’s been out of the job market for a while, so she’s brushing up on her resume and interview skills.
  16. I’m brushing up on my Spanish by listening to podcasts and watching TV shows in the language.
  17. The sales team is brushing up on their product knowledge for the big meeting tomorrow.
  18. He’s been out of practice for a while, so he’s brushing up on his tennis skills.
  19. I’m brushing up on my web design skills by taking online courses.
  20. The actors are brushing up on their accents for their roles in the upcoming movie.
  21. She’s been out of the public eye for a while, so she’s brushing up on her media skills.
  22. I’m brushing up on my social media marketing skills by attending workshops and conferences.
  23. The team is brushing up on their teamwork skills by participating in team-building exercises.
  24. He’s been out of the loop for a while, so he’s brushing up on the latest industry news and trends.
  25. I’m brushing up on my public relations skills by networking and attending industry events.
  26. The musicians are brushing up on their harmonies for their upcoming album.
  27. She’s been out of the loop for a while, so she’s brushing up on the latest fashion trends.
  28. I’m brushing up on my photography skills by attending workshops and practicing every day.
  29. The dancers are brushing up on their partnering skills for the upcoming performance.
  30. He’s been out of the game for a while, so he’s brushing up on his poker skills.
  31. I’m brushing up on my financial skills by reading books and attending seminars.
  32. The team is brushing up on their communication skills by participating in regular meetings and check-ins.
  33. She’s been out of the workforce for a while, so she’s brushing up on her job search skills.
  34. I’m brushing up on my leadership skills by attending workshops and networking with other leaders.
  35. The actors are brushing up on their improvisation skills for the upcoming audition.
  36. He’s been out of the dating scene for a while, so he’s brushing up on his dating skills.
  37. I’m brushing up on my graphic design skills by taking online courses and practicing every day.
  38. The musicians are brushing up on their music theory for the upcoming event.
  39. She’s been out of the running for a while, so she’s brushing up on her competitive skills.
  40. I’m brushing up on my writing skills by attending workshops and joining a writing group.
  41. The team is brushing up on their problem-solving skills by working on challenging projects together.
  42. He’s been out of the game for a while, so he’s brushing up on his chess skills.
  43. I’m brushing up on my computer programming skills by taking online courses and practicing every day.
  44. The actors are brushing up on their method acting techniques for the upcoming film.
  45. She’s been out of the public eye for a while, so she’s brushing up on her public speaking skills.
  46. I’m brushing up on my marketing skills by attending conferences and networking with other professionals.
  47. The team is brushing up on their collaboration skills by working on group projects together.
  48. He’s been out of the workforce for a while, so he’s brushing up on his job interview skills.
  49. I’m brushing up on my business skills by reading books and attending seminars.
  50. The musicians are brushing up on their music notation skills for the upcoming recording session.

The questions are related to the phrasal verb ‘Brush Up’

  1. I’m going to ___________ on my Spanish before my trip to Mexico. (brush up)
  2. She’s been ___________ her math skills in preparation for the exam. (brushing up)
  3. He needs to ___________ on his public speaking before giving the presentation. (brush up)
  4. I’ve been ___________ on my piano playing for the recital next month. (brushing up)
  5. They’re ___________ their tennis skills for the tournament next weekend. (brushing up)
  6. We should ___________ on our cooking skills before hosting the dinner party. (brush up)
  7. She’s ___________ on her guitar playing for the concert. (brushing up)
  8. He’s ___________ on his coding skills for the job interview. (brushing up)
  9. I need to ___________ on my French before my trip to Paris. (brush up)
  10. They’re ___________ their dancing skills for the competition. (brushing up)
  11. We should ___________ on our gardening skills before planting the new flowers. (brush up)
  12. She’s ___________ on her singing for the audition. (brushing up)
  13. He’s ___________ on his art skills for the gallery show. (brushing up)
  14. I need to ___________ on my yoga before joining the advanced class. (brush up)
  15. They’re ___________ their golf skills for the tournament. (brushing up)
  16. We should ___________ on our carpentry skills before starting the DIY project. (brush up)
  17. She’s ___________ on her acting for the play. (brushing up)
  18. He’s ___________ on his photography skills for the exhibit. (brushing up)
  19. I need to ___________ on my German before my trip to Berlin. (brush up)
  20. They’re ___________ their basketball skills for the league. (brushing up)
  21. We should ___________ on our cooking skills before hosting the dinner party. (brush up)
  22. She’s ___________ on her writing for the workshop. (brushing up)
  23. He’s ___________ on his sculpture skills for the exhibit. (brushing up)
  24. I need to ___________ on my Italian before my trip to Rome. (brush up)
  25. They’re ___________ their soccer skills for the season. (brushing up)
  26. We should ___________ on our gardening skills before planting the new flowers. (brush up)
  27. She’s ___________ on her knitting for the craft fair. (brushing up)
  28. He’s ___________ on his woodworking skills for the project. (brushing up)
  29. I need to ___________ on my Japanese before my trip to Tokyo. (brush up)
  30. They’re ___________ their martial arts skills for the tournament. (brushing up)
  31. I need to _______ up on my French before my trip to Paris. (brush)
  32. He ____________ up on his math skills before the test. (brushed)
  33. She ____________ up on her computer programming skills before the job interview. (brushed)
  34. We should _______ up on our emergency preparedness before the hurricane season. (brush)
  35. They ____________ up on their cooking skills before the dinner party. (brushed)
  36. I think I need to _______ up on my public speaking skills before the presentation. (brush)
  37. He ____________ up on his guitar playing before the concert. (brushed)
  38. She ____________ up on her dancing skills before the recital. (brushed)
  39. We should _______ up on our negotiation techniques before the meeting. (brush)
  40. They ____________ up on their skiing skills before the trip to the mountains. (brushed)
  41. I need to _______ up on my Spanish before my trip to Mexico. (brush)
  42. He ____________ up on his history before the exam. (brushed)
  43. She ____________ up on her biology before the lab practical. (brushed)
  44. We should _______ up on our first aid skills before the camping trip. (brush)
  45. They ____________ up on their art skills before the exhibition. (brushed)
  46. I think I need to _______ up on my marketing skills before the pitch meeting. (brush)
  47. He ____________ up on his car maintenance skills before the road trip. (brushed)
  48. She ____________ up on her gardening skills before the spring season. (brushed)
  49. We should _______ up on our financial planning skills before the budget meeting. (brush)
  50. They ____________ up on their photography skills before the trip to Thailand. (brushed)
  51. I need to _______ up on my Chinese before my trip to Beijing. (brush)
  52. He ____________ up on his literature before the class discussion. (brushed)
  53. She ____________ up on her psychology before the counseling session. (brushed)
  54. We should _______ up on our self-defense skills before the workshop. (brush)
  55. They ____________ up on their singing skills before the audition. (brushed)
  56. I think I need to _______ up on my computer programming skills before the hackathon. (brush)
  57. He ____________ up on his golf skills before the tournament. (brushed)
  58. She ____________ up on her yoga skills before the retreat. (brushed)
  59. We should _______ up on our customer service skills before the training. (brush)
  60. They ____________ up on their acting skills before the audition. (brushed)