What does "administering" mean?

Status
Not open for further replies.

NewHopeR

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 6, 2009
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Chinese
Home Country
China
Current Location
China
Context:

Brass: the persons (or committees or departments etc.) who make up a body for the purpose of administering something
 

Tdol

No Longer With Us (RIP)
Staff member
Joined
Nov 13, 2002
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
Japan
Running, managing
 

BobK

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 29, 2006
Location
Spencers Wood, near Reading, UK
Member Type
Retired English Teacher
Native Language
English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
UK
:up: Doing tasks that can be described as 'administrative'. administration, administrative etc are often abbreviated to 'admin' (with stress on the first syllable: /'ædmɪn/, not /əd'mɪn/). In the IT world, it is common to refer to the 'System Administrator' as 'the Admin'.

b
 

Barb_D

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Mar 12, 2007
Member Type
Other
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
This definition doesn't work for me.

The "brass" are the people in command, for me. We usually emphasize that with "top."

The top brass want to see progress on this investigation.
This decision came down from the top brass. Don't bother questioning it.

I would not use it to talk about the people who administer a program.

Is this use of "brass" common in the UK?
 

5jj

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Oct 14, 2010
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
Czech Republic
Current Location
Czech Republic

BobK

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 29, 2006
Location
Spencers Wood, near Reading, UK
Member Type
Retired English Teacher
Native Language
English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
UK
:up: Me too. I think the 'brass' refers to buttons and medals and other accoutrements on the uniforms of the higher-ranking officers.

b
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top