[Idiom] more brass than brains

[cmpires63]

Could you please explain the meaning of the idiom "more brass than brains"?
Thanks in advance

cmpires

 

[SoothingDave]

It's not an idiom.

What is the context? Is it talking about someone in the military? "Brass" can be used to refer to high ranking officers (due to the shiny brass medals on their uniforms).

 

[emsr2d2]

In BrE, we have "more brawn than brains" which means that someone has more physical strength (they might even be a bit violent) than intelligence.

 

[Barb_D]

"Brass" can be short for the somewhat vulgar "brass balls." When someone has brass balls, they have a lot of chutzpah.

The person has confidence, but perhaps not the intellectual backing to justify it.
You might also hear "all hat, no cattle."

 

[bhaisahab]

I haven't heard "more brass than brains" before, but, "brass" is slang for "money" in the Yorkshire dialect. I would venture to suggest that it might mean the same as "more money than sense", which is a common expression in BrE.

 

[Barb_D]

"more money than sense", which is a common expression in BrE.

And in the US.