Meaning & use
brr
Last updated
Meanings
interjectioninformal
Used to show that you feel cold or are shivering.
Grammar: Stands alone as a reaction; often followed by an exclamation mark.
Patterns
- brr!
Brr! It's freezing in here—can we turn up the heat?
She stepped outside and said, 'Brr, it's cold!'
Brr, my hands are like ice.
interjectioninformal
Used to suggest a vibrating or buzzing sound, as of a machine or insect.
Grammar: Often repeated: brr-brr or brrr.
Patterns
- brr brr
The old refrigerator made a loud brr sound all night.
Brr, brr—the phone vibrated on the table.
Common combinations
- brr, it's cold
- Brr, it's cold outside today!
- go brr
- The engine went brr and then stopped.
- brr sound
- I heard a brr sound coming from the heater.
- say brr
- He said 'brr' and rubbed his arms to get warm.
Synonyms and how they differ
- brrr
- A variant spelling with more r's, often used for emphasis or a longer shiver.
Commonly confused: brr or burr?
brr vs burr
Burr is a noun meaning a rough edge or a plant seed case, or a verb meaning to make a whirring sound. Brr is an interjection for cold or vibration.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'brr' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Brr' is an interjection, so it stands alone to express feeling cold. The other options use it as a verb or noun, which is not standard.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “brr”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.