Etymology

live over the brush

Today it means: To cohabit without being married. Full definition →

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The story

Possibly ultimately derived from broomstick wedding, with broomstick meaning ersatz or sham. Often said to be derived from early British or Romani wedding practices, in which a couple could become married outside the Church by leaping a broom or brush, but no evidence exists for such a ceremony.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.