Someone who is “bold as brass” or “as bold as brass” is extremely confident (or bold) and generally lacking respect for others, not caring that their behaviour might shock or annoy them.
Examples:
“Bold as brass thieves caught on CCTV stealing elevator weights from Edinburgh lift company TWICE in one night”
“A woman in the southwestern German city of Kaiserslautern walked into a car dealership and, bold as brass, handed over 15,000 euros of counterfeit cash.”
This phrase was first recorded in the 1780s [1]. It is not clear why brass is linked with boldness here, but this connection occurs in several other English idioms. (I did wonder whether it might be something to do with the loud sounds produced by brass instruments.)
The word “brazen” is an archaic (old) word meaning “made of brass,” but it is also used to describe someone who is bold, without shame.
e.g. “Infuriating footage shows brazen Audi driver speed down bus lane and intimidate cyclist in Dublin”
Someone who behaves in this way may also be described as having “brass neck.”
e.g. “I have zero tolerance for people who have the brass neck to ask me to work for free with the lamest of excuses for not paying me.”
Photo credit: Markus (Creative Commons)
[1] “As” In Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, edited by Susie Dent. 19th ed. Chambers Harrap, 2012.
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