down to brass tacks meaning?

Question

What is the meaning of "down to brass tacks" idiom?

Answer 1

 

down to brass tacks - Examples:

1)  Now, we can get down to brass tacks and question the efficiency of various systems.
2)  Let's get down to brass tacks: In other words,' let's get down to basics'.
3)  They really know how to get down to the brass tacks without going through all the niceties sometimes.
4)  I began to change my language away from the jargon and back to the brass tacks of what is important to the local business owners.
5)  Let's get down to brass tacks of merging finances once you are married.
6)  When you get down to brass tacks, you see that these same southern businesses rely most heavily on federal tax cuts.
7)  Brass tacks, the identity of the current franchise would have to change.
8)  But, if you want to get down to brass tacks, we could start by hearing from you which form(s) of mass transit are the most convenient.
9)  This may make sense from a brass tacks " business model " but is this really fair.
10)  It shows that when they get down to brass tacks Jack the Republicans only care about the big guys not us small fry.
11)  To make sense of these findings, let's get down to the brass tacks.
12)  House staffers and volunteers from the technology community are quietly getting down to the brass tacks.
13)  But if one gets down to brass tacks, what is Creative Commons?
14)  The American people have spoken... now it's time to get down to brass tacks and get some hard work done.
15)  Let's cut to brass tacks: why haven't they passed a budget?
16)  When one gets down to brass tacks, they all wish to rule - that is, they wish to control.
17)  You guys talk in naive broad terms and never get down to the brass tacks.
18)  Now, let's get real serious here and right on down to brass tacks.
19)  Only when Middle Eastern women enjoy these freedoms can we get down to brass tacks about who is doing a better job of respecting women as full and complete human beings.
20)  Who really cares because when it boils down to brass tacks, we are all human beings with different outlooks and opinions.
 
 
 

Answer 2

down to brass tacks - Gerund Form:

Getting down to brass tacks can be seen as rude or abrupt.
 

Answer 3

down to brass tacks - Usage:

 
formal<-----------X----|--------------->informal
 

Answer 4

Idiom Scenario 2:

A husband and wife are planning their next vacation ...

Husband:  OK.  We've agreed on where we're going.  Now we need to talk about some of the details like flight arrangements and hotels and package deals and daily itineraries.
Wife:  Good.  Let's look at the brass tacks of our vacation.

Answer 5

Idiom Scenario 1:

Two businessmen have been negotiating for hours ...

Businessman 1:  We've been at this for hours talking about the project as a whole and I think we agree on the big picture.
Businessman 2:  I agree.  Now it's time to look at the finer details of the project.
Businessman 1:  Good, let's get down to brass tacks.

Answer 6

Idiom Definition:

"down to brass tacks"

to put your attention to the most basic and pertinent facts

 
Synonyms: cogent, compact, concise, crisp, curt, effective, epigrammatic, expressive, honed, laconic, meaningful, meaty, pointed, short, short-and-sweet, significant, succinct, terse, trenchant, basic facts, basics, cases, essential facts, essentials, facts, nitty-gritty, realities, the dope, the scoop, the whole story, truth of the matter