[General] out of brass

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Veronika64

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The contest is a gameshow, the girl finished her performance, she's out of breath and says:Think I need my asthma inhaler, so they tell her:
MADE OUT OF BRASS.

I didnt find any idiom for that, is it slang?:shock:
 

Tarheel

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You probably missed the "I"in "I think I need my asthma inhaler." As for "made out of brass," if that's an English idiom it is new to me.
 

Skrej

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Could it have been something like 'out of breath', instead?

Not sure what the 'made' could have been, however.

What was the show, maybe we could find a clip of it and listen?

Only other thing I could think of was they were referring to her lungs being made out of brass, as in she had lungs like a brass instrument, i.e. loud and powerful?
 

Tarheel

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A: I think I need my asthma inhaler.
B: Are you out of breath?
A: Yes! I need my asthma inhaler!
B: We'll get it for you right away.

(Unless it was live (unlikely) I would expect them to cut that out.)
 

fencecat42

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I am not a teacher.

Was this an American game show? If so, I think the comment "made out of brass" is a reference to the idiom "brass balls" (balls as in testicles.) Having "brass balls" means that someone is especially brave or tough. It can be applied to men or women. The phrase is often changed to leave out "balls" so that it sounds less vulgar.
Performing a difficult song on television while suffering from asthma is very brave. I think the person who said "made out of brass" meant "you are very brave." Other versions of the phrase:

"That guy has brass balls."
"She has brass ones."
"Yours must be made out of brass."
 

Tdol

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It might mean that she has bad asthma and needs a heavy duty inhaler- stronger than a normal one.
 
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