Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. impudent, shameless; note use as a n. in cit. 1957.

1545		R. Ascham Toxophilus (1761) I 91: I suppose that there is no one thinge that changeth soner the golden silver wittes of men into copperye and brassye wayes, then dysinge and such unlawfull pastimes.
1576		W. Lambarde Perambulations in Kent (1826) 156: We shoulde not have wanted wherewith to make them [idolaters] stop their mouthes, were they never so brassie and impudent.
1616–20		Middleton Mayor of Quinborough (1661) III i: There’s no Gallant So brassie impudent durst undertake The words that shall belong to’t .
c.1790		‘Peter Pindar’ ‘Odes of Condolence’ Works (1794) III 256: No, Mister Guttle – Betty was too brassy – We never keep a servant that is saucy.
1861		(con. 1840s–50s) H. Mayhew London Labour and London Poor I 24/2: They are all known one to another by nicknames [...] ‘Brassy’ (a very saucy person).
1878		H.B. Stowe Poganuc People 43: Jim Sawin said last night you was the brassiest man he ever see.
1881		Manchester Courier 25 June 5: A Texas Mother-In-Law [addressing a policeman] Wanted to amperate my jaw, the little brassy whelp!
1886		M.E. Kennard Girl in the Brown Habit II 131: I looked at her. ‘That is a very ‘brassy’ sentiment,’ I said significantly.
1896		G.F. Northall Warwickshire Word-Book 34: Brassy. Bold, impudent. ‘A brassy madam.’.
1900		Bulletin (Sydney) 7 July 20/4: But it looks brassy, to say the least, for M.L.A.’s who may regain the Parliamentary roll whether their insolvencies be ‘clean’ or not, to hang this condition round the J.P.’s neck.
1903		H. Hapgood Autobiog. of a Thief 131: They got brassy-mouthed and yelled murder.
1912		S. Ford Trying Out Torchy 33: ‘Excuse me for buttin’ in,’ says I, ‘but maybe I ’ve got the answer.’ It was a brassy thing to do, I admit.
1925		Z.N. Hurston Spunk (1995) 949: Theah they go, big as life an’ brassy as tacks.
1940		M. Marples Public School Slang 39: Impudent [...] brassy.
1941		B. Schulberg What Makes Sammy Run? (1992) 96: She had chased her share of brassy guys out of the office.
1955		W. Henry Who Rides with Wyatt 146: Once shut of the guns, though, he turned right brassy.
1957		G. Kersh Fowlers End (2001) 197: None o’ your brassy, mind you—sweet as honey.
1961		(con. 1920s) J. Sparks Burglar to the Nobility 38: Brassy little tarts pout at you and wheedle a five or ten.
1968		T. Wolfe Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test (1969) 147: She gets good and loud and brassy to come on stronger in this unequal contest.
1971		L. Bangs in Psychotic Reactions (1988) 61: Now that we’ve been brassy enough to use a word like ‘anthemic’ we might as well [...] get even a little more pretentious.
1995		I. Rankin Let It Bleed 82: Rebus would have called Tresa McAnully ‘feisty’; maybe even ‘brassy’.
1999		P. Temple Black Tide (2012) [ebook] Bill says to her, brassy bugger, he says, ‘Comin to the football tomorrow?’.

2. of a woman, showy, flashy, ostentatious; implies a superficial bright hardness, but also possible prostitution.

1922		S. Lewis Babbitt (1974) 54: Of course she’ll flirt with anything [...] that laugh – that horrible brassy laugh – the way she yaps.
1938		G. Greene Brighton Rock (1943) 127: If he had attached to himself some bright brassy skirt, like the ones he’s seen at the Cosmopolitan.
1942		P. Wylie Generation of Vipers 46: Nobody wishes to be married to a brassy tart destined soon to turn into a vengefully destructive middle-aged harpy.
1946		J.F. Bardin Deadly Pecheron in Bardin Omnibus (1976) 79: Brassy blondes, flashily made-up red-heads, rarely a glossy headed brunette.
1951		J.D. Salinger Catcher in the Rye (1958) 73: Very brassy, but not good brassy – corny brassy.
1957		G. Metalious Peyton Place (1959) 275: Gladys [...] as busty and brassy blond as ever.
1972		S.J. Perelman letter 14 Jan. in Crowther Don’t Tread on Me (1987) 276: The most insincere brassy nitwit in the business.
1975		J. Wambaugh Choirboys (1976) 251: He got a good look at the brassy blond in the open red satin coat.
1981		W. Boyd ‘The Coup’ in On the Yankee Station (1982) 163: Tanned and brassy females whom Morgan imaginatively took to be the mistresses of African politicians.
1994		Penguin Bk of Aus. Jokes 330: He’s ensconced with a great big brassy-looking blonde.
1999		Indep. Rev. 18 June 14: Her brassy barmaid speaking tones.
2000		Guardian Guide 20–26 May 10: Not like that brassy sister of hers.
2010		K. Richards Life 91: The pub’s just opened. Typical brassy blond old barmaid, not many customers, stale beer.

3. wealthy, rich.

1910		‘Doss Chiderdoss’ ‘His Lincoln Form’ Sporting Times 12 Mar. 1/4: By biting his ear while he’s brassy, / The ring won’t have it all.
1976		R. Barnes Coronation Cups and Jam Jars 202: On Sunday evenings I would send out for some fish and chips [...] or (if I was a bit brassy) a portion of Chinese.