English

Verb

get down to brass tacks

1. (idiomatic) Deal with the important details.

Synonyms

• get down to business
• get down to the nitty-gritty
• get down to nuts and bolts
• roll up one's sleeves

Translations

Quotations

• 1863, January 21, 1863, The Tri-Weekly Telegraph, newspaper of Houston, Texas

  When you come down to brass tacks – if we may be allowed the expression – everybody is governed by selfishness.

• 1935, Clifford Odets, Waiting for Lefty

  That's no answer. Get down to brass tacks.

• 1972, Hunter S. Thompson, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream

  Let's get down to brass tacks here. How much for the ape?

• 1994, Quentin Tarantino and Roger Avary, Pulp Fiction

  You must be Jules, which would make you Vincent. Let’s get down to brass tacks, gentlemen. If I was informed correctly, the clock is ticking. Is that right, Jimmie?

References

1. 1 2 “brass tacks”, Wordorigins.org, Dave Wilton, Monday, May 26, 2008.

• "Brass tacks" in Michael Quinion, Ballyhoo, Buckaroo, and Spuds, 2004.