touch of the tar brush

== English == === Etymology === Believed to be of British origin. === Pronunciation === === Noun === touch of the tar brush (plural touches of the tar brush) (informal) Real or suspected African or Asian distant ancestry in a person of predominantly Caucasian ancestry; mixed racial heritage (e.g. Afro-Caribbean or, to a lesser extent, South Asian in background or appearance). Synonym: lick of the tarbrush ==== Usage notes ==== Not generally used for people that are unambiguously and distinctly of mixed race.