i bara mässingen
Swedish
![](Images/wiktionary/SilverWashingCup.jpg.webp)
A silver-plated brass cup.
![](Images/wiktionary/The_First_Awakening_of_Eve_by_Valentine_Cameron_Prinsep.jpg.webp)
A woman "in just her brass".
Etymology
Literally; "in just the brass".
It used to be common practice to silver-plate brass objects to make a more valuable impression. With use, the silver wore away and the brass came out. This is probably the origin of the expression. [1]
Phrase
i bara mässingen
- (idiomatic) nude, stark naked, without any clothing
- Synonyms: naken, avklädd, blottad, i adamsdräkt, i evakostym, i naturtillstånd, i paradisdräkt, in naturalibus, nakot, naturell, näck, oklädd, som gud skapade en, spritt språngande, strippad, utan en tråd på kroppen
- "I bara mässingen besteg han en ryttarstaty nära premiärminister David Camerons kansli."
- "Stark naked, he climbed a equestrian statue near Prime Minister David Cameron's office."
References
- 1945, “Mässing”, in Svenska Akademiens Ordbok, retrieved 2020-12-01:
- uttr. syftar sannol. på försilvrade mässingsföremål med försilvringen mer l. mindre avnött, så att mässingen skiner igenom
- the term probably refers to silver-plated brass objects with the silver-plating more or less worn, so that the brass shines through