British slang with two distinct lives.
British slang with two distinct lives. In civilian use, to brass up means to pay what you owe — settling a debt, handing over money, or coughing up cash you'd rather keep. The phrase has the feel of reluctant obligation, as if the money is being extracted rather than freely given. In military slang it takes a harder turn, meaning to shell or bombard a position with heavy fire — specifically machine-gun or artillery fire laid down with intensity. Context determines which brass up is being delivered.
The landlord knocked twice a week until they finally agreed to brass up the three months of back rent.
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Regional slang from around the English-speaking world — British, Australian, Irish, Caribbean, Nigerian, Filipino, AAVE, and the hyphenated-English dialects that make the internet sound local.
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(slang) To pay a debt or hand over money.
(military slang, transitive) To shell.