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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
Few monogamous couples, that is, get down to the brass tacks of chalking the contours—or, rather, the borders—of their coupledom, including those inclined to discuss their transition to exclusivity.
—Lauren Michele Jackson, The New Yorker, 18 Dec. 2024
But brass tacks on Syria: this is arguably a good geopolitical development for Trump and the US.
—Hannah Parry, Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2024
Down to brass tacks, Kaffee believes the teenage Marines were merely following orders, to exercise a Code Red.
—Duane Byrge, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Dec. 2024
Some of this is brass tacks, but needed to be redone and re-looked at.
—Megan Poinski, Forbes, 3 Sep. 2024
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Word History
First Known Use
1863, in the meaning defined above
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Cite this Entry
“Brass tacks.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brass%20tacks. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.
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