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brick

[brik]

Origin

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noun

a block of clay hardened by drying in the sun or burning in a kiln, and used for building, paving, etc.: traditionally, in the U.S., a rectangle 2¹/₄ × 3³/₄ × 8 inches (5.7 × 9.5 × 20.3 cm), red, brown, or yellow in color.

such blocks collectively.

the material of which such blocks are made.

any block or bar having a similar size and shape: a gold brick; an ice-cream brick.

the length of a brick as a measure of thickness, as of a wall: one and a half bricks thick.

EXPAND

Informal. an admirably good or generous person.

Informal. an electronic device that has become completely nonfunctional.

COLLAPSE

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verb (used with object)

to pave, line, wall, fill, or build with brick.

Informal. to cause (an electronic device) to become completely nonfunctional: I bricked my phone while doing the upgrade.

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Brick is one of our favorite verbs.

So is lollygag. Does it mean:

to spend time idly; loaf.

to expurgate (a written work) by removing or modifying passages considered vulgar or objectionable.

LEARN MORE FUN, UNUSUAL VERBS WITH WORD DYNAMO...

adjective

10.

made of, constructed with, or resembling bricks.

Idioms

11.

drop a brick, to make a social gaffe or blunder, especially an indiscreet remark.

12.

hit the bricks,

to walk the streets, especially as an unemployed or homeless person.

to go on strike: With contract talks stalled, workers are threatening to hit the bricks.

Also, take to the bricks.

13.

make bricks without straw,

to plan or act on a false premise or unrealistic basis.

to create something that will not last: To form governments without the consent of the people is to make bricks without straw.

to perform a task despite the lack of necessary materials.

Origin:
1400–50; late Middle English brike < Middle Dutch bricke; akin to break

Related forms

brick·like, brick·ish, adjective

un·bricked, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Link To Brick

Collins

World English Dictionary

brick (brɪk)

—n
1.	a. a rectangular block of clay mixed with sand and fired in a kiln or baked by the sun, used in building construction
	b. (as modifier): a brick house
2.	the material used to make such blocks
3.	any rectangular block: a brick of ice
4.	bricks collectively
5.	informal a reliable, trustworthy, or helpful person
6.	(Brit) a child's building block
7.	short for brick red
8.	informal (Brit) drop a brick to make a tactless or indiscreet remark
9.	informal like a ton of bricks (used esp of the manner of punishing or reprimanding someone) with great force; severely: when he spotted my mistake he came down on me like a ton of bricks

—vb (usually foll by in, up or over)
10.	to construct, line, pave, fill, or wall up with bricks: to brick up a window; brick over a patio
11.	slang to attack (a person) with a brick or bricks

[C15: from Old French brique, from Middle Dutch bricke; related to Middle Low German brike, Old English brecan to break]

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline

Word Origin & History

brick

early 15c., from O.Fr. briche "brick," probably from a Gmc. source akin to M.Du. bricke "a tile," lit. "a broken piece," from the verbal root of break. Meaning "a good fellow" is from 1840. The verb meaning "to wall up with bricks" is from 1640s. Brick wall in the figurative

EXPAND

sense of "impenetrable barrier" is from 1886.

COLLAPSE

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Slang Dictionary

brick definition

n.
a failed shot (in basketball) that bounces off the rim or backboard. : Chalk up another brick for Michael.
n.
any failure. : This whole thing is a mess. Whose brick is this anyway?
in.
to fail. (From sense 1.) : The whole project bricked because we sat on the contract too long.
tv.
to strike or punch someone. (Streets.) : That dude just bricked a cop!
n.
a block of marijuana; a kilo of cocaine. (Drugs.) : Man, I can't afford a brick! Gimme a bag. , The police said he was carrying a “brick” of cannabis when arrested.
n.
a large, brick-shaped, handheld mobile telephone that is a precursor to the modern cellphone. : I still have my old “brick,” but I'd be embarrassed to use it, even if it did still work.

Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition.
Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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American Heritage

Idioms & Phrases

brick

In addition to the idioms beginning with brick, also see drop a brick; hit the bricks; like a cat on a hot brick; like a ton of bricks; make bricks without straw; run into a stone (brick) wall.