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brass

Noun
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Here, brass means military officers or high-ranking officials, especially in the armed forces. It is informal and specialized in this sense.

Detailed Definition
In military slang, brass can refer to senior officers or the top level of command. The poem uses it to contrast Lawrence’s independence with official authority and rank. This meaning is not the everyday sense of the metal.
Example
Example in poetry:
“While mocking brass” makes brass an image of hard, gleaming metal; brass bands turn ceremony into sound, whether martial or festive; the brass of trumpets flashes above the marching crowd; “brass” may also suggest boldness, as when the speaker faces power with brass
Additional Notes
In the line "While mocking brass and rank untold," brass is used in a military slang sense that many readers may not know.; Found in the poem, Desert Wind: The Ballad of Lawrence by Richard
Also Known As
brass instruments brass alloy metal brass section
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