Bricks
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 2.25 × 3.75 × 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.
Informal. an admirably good or generous person.
Informal. an electronic device that has become completely nonfunctional.
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.
made of, constructed with, or resembling bricks.
drop a brick, to make a social gaffe or blunder, especially an indiscreet remark.
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.
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.
Contemporary Examples
For Rent: Priceless Historic Sites Elinor Betesh November 15, 2014
Curtsey Controversy: The Analysis Tom Sykes June 26, 2012
A Man’s Guide to Eat Pray Love Bryan Curtis August 11, 2010
Is Barnes and Noble Next? Megan McArdle January 8, 2013
George W. Bush ‘Comes Out’ As Artist Lizzie Crocker February 7, 2013
Historical Examples
The Red House Mystery A. A. Milne
Life And Adventures Of Martin Chuzzlewit Charles Dickens
Life in the Iron-Mills Rebecca Harding Davis
The Three Cities Trilogy, Complete Emile Zola
Days and Nights in London J. Ewing Ritchie
noun
a rectangular block of clay mixed with sand and fired in a kiln or baked by the sun, used in building construction
(as modifier): a brick house
the material used to make such blocks
any rectangular block: a brick of ice
bricks collectively
(informal) a reliable, trustworthy, or helpful person
(Brit) a child’s building block
short for brick red
(Brit, informal) drop a brick, to make a tactless or indiscreet remark
(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
verb (transitive)
usually foll by in, up or over. to construct, line, pave, fill, or wall up with bricks: to brick up a window, brick over a patio
(slang) to attack (a person) with a brick or bricks
n.
v.
A decent, generous, reliable person (1830s+ British students)
A kilogram (2.2 pounds) of tightly compacted marijuana (1970s+ Narcotics)
Avery inaccurate basketball shot (1980s+ Students)
In addition to the idioms beginning with brick
,
Read Also:
- Bricks-and-clicks
noun a combination of traditional business carried out on physical premises and internet trading modifier combining traditional business carried out on physical premises and internet trading: bricks-and-clicks companies
- Bricks--and--mortar
pertaining to conventional stores, businesses, etc., having physical buildings and facilities, as opposed to Internet or remote services. made of bricks and mortar. noun a building or buildings: he invested in bricks and mortar rather than stocks and shares (as modifier): a bricks-and-mortar fortune a physical business premises rather than an internet presence (as modifier): […]
- Bricks-shy-of-a-load
Mentally impaired, either unintelligent or merely eccentric. For example, He may be handsome but he’s not too bright—a few bricks shy of a load. This term, transferring a light load to lightweight mental capacity, is usually preceded by either a few or a specific number such as two. [ ; 1960s ]
- Bricks--the
bricks, the
- Brickyard--the
brickyard, the