brick

I. brick¹ S2 W3 /brɪk/ BrE AmE noun
[Date: 1400-1500; Language: French; Origin: brique, from Middle Dutch bricke]
1. [uncountable and countable] a hard block of baked clay used for building walls, houses etc:
a brick wall
a house made of brick
Protesters attacked the police with stones and bricks.
2. bricks and mortar houses – used especially when talking about them as an ↑investment
3. [countable] British English a small square block of wood, plastic etc used as a toy
4. [countable] old-fashioned a good person who you can depend on when you are in trouble
⇨ be (like) banging/bashing etc your head against a brick wall at ↑head¹(31), ⇨ drop a brick at ↑drop¹(27)

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

brick

brick [brick bricks bricked bricking] noun, verb [brɪk] [brɪk]

noun
1. countable, uncountable baked clay used for building walls, houses and other buildings; an individual block of this
• The school is built of brick.
• a pile of bricks
• a brick wall
see also red-brick

2. countable a plastic or wooden block, used as a toy for young children to build things with

3. countable, usually singular (old-fashioned, BrE, informal) a friend that you can rely on when you need help
• Thanks for looking after the children today - you're a real brick.
more at like a cat on hot bricks at cat _n., drop a brick/clanger at drop _v., be banging, etc. your head against a brick wall at head _n., like a ton of bricks at ton _n.
Word Origin:
late Middle English: from Middle Low German, Middle Dutch bricke, brike; probably reinforced by Old French brique; of unknown ultimate origin.
Example Bank:
• He got a job at the local brick works.
• They moved the whole house, brick by brick.
• They put an extra course of bricks around the pool.
• We rebuilt the fireplace using salvaged bricks.
• a house of red brick
• houses of brick
• investing in bricks and mortar
• learning to lay bricks properly
• to invest in bricks and mortar
Idioms: bricks and mortar ▪ make bricks without straw ▪ up against a brick wall

Derived: brick something in

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 4th Edition

brick / brɪk / noun [ C ] (BUILDING BLOCK)

brick

B2 a rectangular block of hard material used for building walls and houses:

The chimney was made of bricks.

We lived in a Victorian terrace of red -brick houses.

He was so embarrassed - his face went brick -red (= a dark red) .

→ See also airbrick , red-brick

brick / brɪk / noun [ C usually singular ] old-fashioned or humorous (GOOD PERSON)

a very helpful and kind person who can be trusted:

Thanks for bringing all that food along to the party, Tony. You're a brick!

Collins Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary

brick

[brɪ̱k]
bricks, bricking, bricked
1) N-VAR Bricks are rectangular blocks of baked clay used for building walls, which are usually red or brown. Brick is the material made up of these blocks.
  She built bookshelves out of bricks and planks.
  ...a tiny garden surrounded by high brick walls.
2) N-SING: a N If you say that someone is a brick, you mean that they have helped you or supported you when you were in a difficult situation. [INFORMAL, OLD-FASHIONED]
  You were a brick, a real friend in need.
  Syn:
  pal, mate
3) PHRASE: V inflects, usu cont If you are banging your head against a brick wall, what you are saying or doing is not having any effect although you keep saying or doing it. [INFORMAL]
  I wanted to sort out this problem with him, but it was like banging my head against a brick wall.
4) PHRASE: V inflects If you hit a brick wall or come up against a brick wall, you are unable to continue or make progress because something stops you. [INFORMAL]
  After that my career just seemed to hit a brick wall...
  The discussions in Brussels hit a brick wall.
5) PHRASE You can use bricks and mortar to refer to houses and other buildings, especially when they are considered as an investment.
  Paying rent simply helps to line the pockets of landlords. It's far better to put your money into bricks and mortar of your own...
  As an investment, bricks and mortar are not what they were.
6) to come down on somebody like a ton of bricks → see ton
  Phrasal Verbs:
  - brick up

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary

¹brick /ˈbrɪk/ noun, pl bricks
1 a [count] : a small, hard block of baked clay that is used to build structures (such as houses) and sometimes to make streets, paths, etc.
• a pile of bricks
b [noncount] : blocks of baked clay used as building material
• a house made of brick
• Most of the buildings in the town are (made of) brick.
- often used before another noun
• a brick wall/building/oven
• a brick sidewalk
2 [count]
a : a block of something
• a brick of ice cream
• a glass brick
b Brit : a child's toy block
• children playing with wooden bricks
3 [count] informal + somewhat old-fashioned : a helpful or dependable person
• He has been an absolute brick.
bricks and mortar Brit : houses and other buildings especially when people consider buying them because of their possible future value
• Market uncertainties have been driving the rush to invest in bricks and mortar.
- see also brick-and-mortar
drop a brick
- see ²drop
like a ton of bricks informal : very hard or severely
• The loss of his job hit him like a ton of bricks. [=hit him very hard; made him very upset, unhappy, etc.]
• Our boss came down on us like a ton of bricks [=got very angry at us] when he found out we had missed the meeting.