brass tacks

plural noun

: details of immediate practical importance
usually used in the phrase get down to brass tacks

Examples of brass tacks in a Sentence

after the usual introductions and requisite pleasantries, we got down to the brass tacks of our business proposal
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Some of this is brass tacks, but needed to be redone and re-looked at. Megan Poinski, Forbes, 3 Sep. 2024 But in the private markets, as a reporter, brass tacks numbers on how startups and the VC firms that back them are performing are a whole lot harder to come by. Allie Garfinkle, Fortune, 24 Apr. 2024 The bromides change but the brass tacks are the same. Ahmed Al Omran, New York Times, 13 July 2023 Ready to get into the brass tacks—er, vinyl surfaces? Rachel Silva, ELLE Decor, 28 June 2023 See all Example Sentences for brass tacks 

Word History

First Known Use

1863, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of brass tacks was in 1863

Dictionary Entries Near brass tacks

Cite this Entry

“Brass tacks.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brass%20tacks. Accessed 19 Nov. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!