rub one's face with a brass candlestick

present singular third person rubs one's face with a brass candlestick · participle present rubbing one's face with a brass candlestick · participle past rubbed one's face with a brass candlestick · past rubbed one's face with a brass candlestick

1. archaiccolloquialTo (prepare to) be very brazen or impudent.

   Every step you take you proclaim yourself the father of him who rubbed his face with a brass candlestick

   1853, Walter William Broom, Many Botanical Secrets, page 4

   2 more examples

   "Why, Walsher," said Mr. Stubber, "how many times a day do you rub your face with a brass candlestick? Why, I lent you a pony when you were stumped, and you carried off a cool hundred."

   1873, The Gentleman's Magazine, volume 11, page 577

   After dinner, I metaphorically rubbed my face with a brass candlestick and became bold enough to ask him to let me read something for him, for the sake of his suggestions and criticism.

   1894, Werner's Magazine, volume 16, page 71