goldbrick

[ gohld-brik for 1, 2; gohld-brik for 3-5 ]
See synonyms for goldbrick on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. Informal. a brick made to look like gold, sold by a swindler.

  2. Informal. anything supposed to be valuable but which turns out to be worthless.

  1. Also goldbricker .Slang. a person, especially a soldier, who shirks responsibility or performs duties without proper effort or care.

verb (used without object)Slang.
  1. to shirk responsibility or perform halfheartedly; loaf.

verb (used with object)
  1. to swindle; cheat.

Origin of goldbrick

1
An Americanism dating back to 1850–55; gold + brick

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use goldbrick in a sentence

  • The contents seemed unreal; but for the clear description of the Gold Brick he would not have given it credence.

    The Gold Brick | Ann S. Stephens

British Dictionary definitions for gold brick

gold brick

noun
  1. something with only a superficial appearance of value

  2. US slang an idler or shirker

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012