to brush
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to brush
To clean, smooth, or shape something with a brush. This often refers to hair, clothing, or the fur of animals.
Jeden Morgen muss ich meine langen Haare sorgfältig bürsten.
Every morning I have to brush my long hair carefully.
to brush off
Colloquial for deliberately ignoring someone or rejecting them brusquely.
Nachdem ich ihn kritisiert hatte, hat er mich auf der Party komplett gebürstet.
After I criticized him, he completely brushed me off at the party.
to thrash
Colloquial for clearly defeating someone in a competition, game, or confrontation.
Im Finale hat die Heimmannschaft die Gäste mit 5:0 gebürstet.
In the final, the home team thrashed the visitors 5-0.
The verb 'bürsten' (to brush) is derived directly from the noun 'die Bürste' (the brush). So the action describes what you do with a brush.
Kannst du mir bitte die Bürste geben? Ich muss meine Jacke bürsten.
Can you please give me the brush? I need to brush my jacket.
The meaning depends on the object. If the object is a thing (hair, clothing, animal fur), the literal meaning is intended. If the object is a person ('jemanden bürsten'), it is one of the colloquial meanings.
Er bürstet jeden Abend seinen Hund.
He brushes his dog every evening.
In its literal meaning, 'bürsten' (to brush) is usually used with an accusative object. Typical objects are 'die Haare' (hair), 'das Fell' (fur), 'die Kleidung' (clothing), or 'die Schuhe' (shoes). It can also be used reflexively: 'sich die Haare bürsten' (to brush one's hair).
Nach dem Spaziergang im Wald musste ich meine Hose kräftig bürsten.
After the walk in the forest, I had to brush my pants thoroughly.
The meanings 'to ignore someone' and 'to defeat someone' are strongly colloquial. Use these expressions only in informal conversations with friends.
Er war so wütend, dass er mich den ganzen Abend gebürstet hat.
He was so angry that he brushed me off the whole evening.
to hit / beat
„Schlagen“ is the neutral term for defeating an opponent in a game or competition. „Bürsten“ is used colloquially and usually emphasizes a clear defeat. „Schlagen“ fits a factual report, while „bürsten“ can convey a stronger effect in informal language.
Unsere Mannschaft hat den Gegner im Halbfinale klar gebürstet.
Our team thrashed the opponents in the semifinal.
Unsere Mannschaft hat den Gegner im Halbfinale mit 2:1 geschlagen.
Our team beat the opponents 2–1 in the semifinal.
