From Late Middle English brik, bryke, bricke, from Middle Low German and Middle Dutch bricke ("cracked or broken brick; tile-stone"; modern Dutch brik), ultimately related to Proto-West Germanic *brekan (“to break”), whence also Old French briche and French brique (“brick”). Compare also German Low German Brickje (“small board, tray”). Related to break.
The social media slang sense derives from memes about building up one's feed “brick by brick”, analogizing bricks with reels that inform the algorithm.
The sense of a helpful, reliable person comes from Lycurgus referring to the army as the walls of Sparta, every man a brick.
Meanings
(New-York, colloquial, not-comparable, of weather, qualifier:African-American Vernacular) Extremely cold.
And while the tropics are definitely the place to be when it's brick outside, rocking a snorkel on the beach only works when you're snorkeling. 2005, Vibe, volume 12, number 14, page 102:
Read on for tips so you don't freeze your ass off when it's brick outside. 2017 January 18, Anthony J. Yeung, “Running During Winter Sucks. But It Doesn't Have To.”, in Esquire:
"It's brick cold. Could you imagine stepping on this with your bare foot?" Taylor said. 2018 January 4, Melissa Hipolit, “HUD: Creighton Court residents without heat being relocated”, in CBS 6 TV:
He was always hanging tight with me and since he had access to a ride . . . it made traveling easier. I mean it was no biggie brain buster to take the train, but when it's brick outside . . . fuck the A train. 2014, Ray Mack, Underestimated: A Searcher's Story, →ISBN, page 89:
fi tiilinen (made of brick(s)) · is úr múrsteini (made of brick(s)) · pt de tijolo (made of brick(s)) · et telliskivi- (made of brick(s)) · pl ceglany (made of brick(s)) · ru кирпи́чный (made of brick(s)) · hy աղյուսե (made of brick(s)) · fr en brique (made of brick(s)) · da murstens- (made of brick(s)) · la latericius (made of brick(s)) · nl bakstenen (made of brick(s)) · cs cihlový (made of brick(s))
From Late Middle English brik, bryke, bricke, from Middle Low German and Middle Dutch bricke ("cracked or broken brick; tile-stone"; modern Dutch brik), ultimately related to Proto-West Germanic *brekan (“to break”), whence also Old French briche and French brique (“brick”). Compare also German Low German Brickje (“small board, tray”). Related to break.
The social media slang sense derives from memes about building up one's feed “brick by brick”, analogizing bricks with reels that inform the algorithm.
The sense of a helpful, reliable person comes from Lycurgus referring to the army as the walls of Sparta, every man a brick.
Meanings
(countable) A hardened rectangular block of mud, clay etc., used for building.
This wall is made of bricks.
(uncountable) Such hardened mud, clay, etc. considered collectively, as a building material.
This house is made of brick.
They gather one by one, trickling into the shady courtyard, the familiar hum of Mass. Ave. wafting in from behind brick buildings and iron gates. 2005 June 9, Michael M. Grynbaum, “An Entryway That Eats Together Stays Together”, in The Harvard Crimson, archived from the original on 25 Jan 2025:
(countable) Something shaped like a brick.
a plastic explosive brick
(countable, uncountable) The colour brick red.
The handyman considered the question and I knew she had a brick of ground beans in her bag but was considering whether the beds and a hot drink was worth a brick of coffee. 2011, Seth Kenlon, Revolution Radio, page 70:
He disentangled himself from the safe door and delved inside. He brought out a brick of banknotes. 2012, Kevin Sampson, Powder, page 34:
A few times, when I got tired of my whisky highs and tobacco fumes, I turned to my new little helper, the tiny brick of cannabis resin I got from Don. 2021, Stan Erisman, A Sea of Troubles, page 31:
(countable, dated, slang, uncountable) A helpful and reliable person.
Thanks for helping me wash the car. You’re a brick.
“It's easy to see you're a brick!” replied Lady Augusta, and the laugh again became general. 1863, Elizabeth Caroline Grey, Good Society; Or, Contrasts of Character, page 72:
‘Somebody had to stay with you,’ said Bobbie.
‘Tell you what, Bobbie,’ said Jim, ‘you’re a brick. Shake.’ 1906, Edith Nesbit, The Railway Children, page 168:
“Well, I’ll do what I can for you,” said the seaman, …“If you were only shorter, I'd lend you some clothes.”
“You're a brick,” said the soldier gratefully. 1960, W.W. Jacobs, Cargoes, →ISBN, page 45:
Theobald's mind worked in this way: "Now, I know Ernest has told this boy what a disagreeable person I am, and I will just show him that I am not disagreeable at all, but a good old fellow, a jolly old boy, in fact a regular old brick, and that it is Ernest who is in fault all through." 1903, Samuel Butler, chapter 48, in The Way of All Flesh:
(countable, slang, uncountable) A shot which misses, particularly one which bounces directly out of the basket because of a too-flat trajectory, as if the ball were a heavier object.
We can't win if we keep throwing up bricks from three-point land.
See also: put up a brick
(countable, informal, uncountable) A power brick; an external power supply consisting of a small box with an integral male plug and an attached cord terminating in another plug.
(countable, figuratively, slang, uncountable) An electronic device, especially a heavy box-shaped one, that has become non-functional or obsolete.
(UK, countable, slang, uncountable) A projectile.
I was on deck watching the firing, and looking at the direction in which our guns were pointing, it was obvious that it was not going to be Centurion who was going to receive our bricks. 2019, Daniel Knowles, HMS Hood: Pride of the Royal Navy:
(countable, uncountable) A carton of 500 rimfire cartridges, which forms the approximate size and shape of a brick.
(countable, slang, uncountable) A community card (usually the turn or the river) which does not improve a player's hand.
The two of clubs was a complete brick on the river.
(countable, qualifier:collectible card games, uncountable) A card in a player's hand that is currently unplayable.
(countable, slang, uncountable) A kilogram of cocaine.
I can sell bricks, I don't need to rap / Buj so peng it makes the fiends collapse / Cook that coca into crack / I was selling Zs while you was in your bed 2013, Snap Capone, “Lights Out” (0:16 from the start), in The Memoir:
(countable, derogatory, offensive, qualifier:LGBTQ slang, uncountable) A trans woman who does not pass.
In the world of drag, “brick” is a shady word, slang lobbed at queens whose makeup looks busted, whose wardrobes have seen better days, or who are just generally giving hot mess. 2023 July 2, Cameron Scheetz, Queerty:
Was she like you—a brick, never passed, never gonna? 2022, Gretchen Felker-Martin, chapter VI, in Manhunt, page 40:
(countable, qualifier:social media, slang, uncountable) A reel or short video.
OK, you can have this brick back, I don't want it
I built up this feed brick by brick.
(countable, uncountable) Any member of the species Agrochola circellaris of moths of Europe and Asia Minor.
th อิฐ (hardened block used for building) · qu kusasqa tika (hardened block used for building) · ro cărămidă (hardened block used for building) · hu téglavörös (color) · is perla af manni (term for a helpful, reliable person) · ak brikisi (hardened block used for building) · mn тоосго (hardened block used for building) · ast lladriyu (a building material) · kmr kerpîç (hardened block used for building) · zu isitini (hardened block used for building) · gld пэйдэ (hardened block used for building) · akk 𒋞 (hardened block used for building) · hu tégla (a building material) · ddo агури (hardened block used for building) · hu rendes/derék/megbízható fickó/ember (term for a helpful, reliable person) · yue 磚頭 /砖头 (hardened block used for building) · xal кирпич (hardened block used for building) · ru молото́к (term for a helpful, reliable person) · da mursten (hardened block used for building) · kk кірпіш (hardened block used for building) · it laterizio (hardened block used for building) · zh 磚頭 /砖头 (a building material) · af baksteen (hardened block used for building) · it mattone (color) · mk тула (a building material) · ca maó (hardened block used for building) · kl killussiaq (hardened block used for building) · ca maó (a building material) · rup chirãmidã (hardened block used for building) · ae 𐬌𐬱𐬙𐬌𐬌𐬀 (hardened block used for building) · got 𐍃𐌺𐌰𐌻𐌾𐌰 (hardened block used for building) · tg хишт (hardened block used for building) · vo bakaston (hardened block used for building) · kmr acûr (hardened block used for building) · ga bríce (a building material) · vi gạch (a building material) · hy աղյուս (a building material) · sw tofali (hardened block used for building) · fr brique (hardened block used for building) · oc brica (hardened block used for building) · lo ອິດຖະ (hardened block used for building) · pt tijolo (hardened block used for building) · kjh кірпис (hardened block used for building) · es ladrillo (a building material) · yue 磚 /砖 (hardened block used for building) · ko 련와 (hardened block used for building) · lo ດິນຈີ່ (hardened block used for building) · cr ᐊᓯᐢᑮᐦᑳᐧᓈᐱᐢᐠ (hardened block used for building) · pap klenku (hardened block used for building) · bg ту́хла (hardened block used for building) · id mati total (a heavy electronic device that has become obsolete) · pi giñjakā (hardened block used for building) · oc malon (hardened block used for building) · ses feraw (hardened block used for building) · id catu daya (an external power supply) · nl toeverlaat (term for a helpful, reliable person) · kw bryck (hardened block used for building) · la later (hardened block used for building) · is leirsteinn (hardened block used for building) · li brik (hardened block used for building) · tr tuğla (hardened block used for building) · tk kerpiç (hardened block used for building) · is byggingarklossar (a building material) · ota طوغله (hardened block used for building) · om xuubii (hardened block used for building) · pga tub (hardened block used for building) · crh tola (hardened block used for building) · ny njerwa (hardened block used for building) · lv ķieģelis (a building material) · uk цегляни́й (color) · ar طُوبَة (hardened block used for building) · ur خِشْت (hardened block used for building) · nl beschermengel (term for a helpful, reliable person) · eu adreilu (hardened block used for building) · sh ȍpeka (hardened block used for building) · nl baksteen (hardened block used for building) · ln biríki (hardened block used for building) · sa इष्टका (hardened block used for building) · ps آجر (hardened block used for building) · or ଇଟା (hardened block used for building) · zh 磚塊 /砖块 (a building material) · ar آجُرّ (hardened block used for building) · egy Db-b-t:O39 (hardened block used for building) · id batu bata (hardened block used for building) · fa خِشْت (hardened block used for building) · nl baksteen (a building material) · mi pereki (hardened block used for building) · ps خښته (hardened block used for building) · ar طَابُوق (hardened block used for building) · ug خىش (hardened block used for building) · zh 磚頭 /砖头 (hardened block used for building) · gu ઈંટ (hardened block used for building) · da mursten (a building material) · ruq chirămidă (hardened block used for building) · af baksteen (a building material) · da sveske (term for a helpful, reliable person) · pi iṭṭhakā (hardened block used for building) · ckb خشت (hardened block used for building) · uk це́гла (a building material) · moe miku-ashini (hardened block used for building) · ia bricca (hardened block used for building) · ha tubali (hardened block used for building) · akz okɬipaspa (hardened block used for building) · grc πλίνθος (a building material) · grc πλίνθος (hardened block used for building) · ba кирбес (hardened block used for building) · arc לְבֵינְתָא (hardened block used for building) · ryu 煉瓦 (a building material) · hsb cyhel (hardened block used for building) · ota طوغله (a building material) · it tegola (hardened block used for building) · lld ziedl (Gardenese) (hardened block used for building) · ko 연와 (hardened block used for building) · zh 磚塊 /砖块 (hardened block used for building) · nrf brique (hardened block used for building) · dar кирпич (hardened block used for building) · fr soutien (term for a helpful, reliable person) · tum njelwa (hardened block used for building) · nn murstein (hardened block used for building) · udm кирпич (hardened block used for building) · izh kirpitsa (hardened block used for building) · new अपा (hardened block used for building) · hy աղյուս (hardened block used for building) · tl laryo (hardened block used for building) · de Backstein (hardened block used for building) · jv bata (hardened block used for building) · shn ဢုတ်ႇ (hardened block used for building) · is fyrirtaks manneskja (term for a helpful, reliable person) · uk цегло́ви́й (color) · cv кирпӗч (hardened block used for building) · es ladriello (a building material) · ti ሑጡብ (hardened block used for building) · es rasilla (hardened block used for building) · mk тула (hardened block used for building) · tl ladrilyo (hardened block used for building) · io briko (hardened block used for building) · pt mão (term for a helpful, reliable person) · crh kirpiç (a building material) · uk цегли́на (hardened block used for building) · ar ياجورة (hardened block used for building) · chm кермыч (hardened block used for building) · mnc ᡶᡝᡳᠰᡝ (hardened block used for building) · eo briko (hardened block used for building) · br brikenn (hardened block used for building) · rm tievla (hardened block used for building) · zlw-ocs cihla (hardened block used for building) · crh kirpiç (hardened block used for building) · ms batu bata (hardened block used for building) · chr ᏗᏛᏓᏅᎯ (hardened block used for building) · za cien (hardened block used for building) · inh кирпишк (hardened block used for building) · ta செங்கல் (hardened block used for building) · sh ци́гла (hardened block used for building) · ce кибарчиг (hardened block used for building) · mai पजेबा (hardened block used for building) · ang tiġele (a building material) · ccp 𑄄𑄑𑄴 (hardened block used for building) · zh 磚 /砖 (a building material) · pl cegła (hardened block used for building) · xmf ანგურა (hardened block used for building) · kn ಇಟ್ಟಿಗೆ (hardened block used for building) · is byggingarkubbar (a building material) · fi tiili (hardened block used for building) · zh 磚仔 /砖仔 (hardened block used for building) · fa آجُر (hardened block used for building) · fi apu (term for a helpful, reliable person) · lt plyta (hardened block used for building) · pl cegłówka (hardened block used for building) · be цэ́гла (hardened block used for building) · tn setena (hardened block used for building) · ar لَبِنَة (hardened block used for building) · pdt Tieejel (hardened block used for building) · sl zidak (hardened block used for building) · ilo ladrilio (hardened block used for building) · ky кирпич (hardened block used for building) · kjh кірпис (a building material) · zh 好心腸的 /好心肠的 (term for a helpful, reliable person) · ast lladriyu (hardened block used for building) · ja 文鎮 (a heavy electronic device that has become obsolete) · rm quadrel (hardened block used for building) · li brèk (hardened block used for building) · is múrsteinn (hardened block used for building) · eu adreilu (a building material) · el πλίνθος (hardened block used for building) · chy ma'o'honáá'e (hardened block used for building) · sv tegel (hardened block used for building) · lad ladriyo (hardened block used for building) · hi ईंट (hardened block used for building) · wym cigl (hardened block used for building) · ckt чеԓгыквын (hardened block used for building) · uk цегля́стий (color) · ar طوب (hardened block used for building) · el τούβλο (a building material) · os агуыри (hardened block used for building) · scn maduni (hardened block used for building) · sq tullë (hardened block used for building) · sgs cīgelis (hardened block used for building) · lb Zill (hardened block used for building) · et tellis (hardened block used for building) · kmr xişt (hardened block used for building) · syl ꠁꠐ (hardened block used for building) · hu tégla (hardened block used for building) · ki iturubarĩ (hardened block used for building) · ru кирпи́ч (a building material) · uk цегли́стий (color) · fr brique (a building material) · gd breige (hardened block used for building) · pl cegła (a building material) · sl opeka (hardened block used for building) · wa brike (hardened block used for building) · hi ख़िश्त (hardened block used for building) · gl ladrillo (hardened block used for building) · ang tiġele (hardened block used for building) · tg оҷур (hardened block used for building) · tr tuğla (a building material) · vec quareło (hardened block used for building) · cs cihla (a building material) · bg ту́хла (a building material) · yi ציגל (hardened block used for building) · rw itafari (hardened block used for building) · cop ⲧⲱⲃⲉ (hardened block used for building) · kmr tuxle (hardened block used for building) · ryu 煉瓦 (hardened block used for building) · ur اِین٘ٹ (hardened block used for building) · fo múrsteinur (hardened block used for building) · ko 벽돌 (hardened block used for building) · bo ས་ཕག (hardened block used for building) · lv ķieģelis (hardened block used for building) · it mattone (hardened block used for building) · is ágætis manneskja (term for a helpful, reliable person) · de Ziegel (hardened block used for building) · zh 磚 /砖 (hardened block used for building) · lij mun (hardened block used for building) · es ladriello (hardened block used for building) · sh о̏пека (hardened block used for building) · ddo кирпич (hardened block used for building) · haw winihapa (hardened block used for building) · km ឥដ្ឋ (hardened block used for building) · mn туйпуу (hardened block used for building) · tt кирпеч (hardened block used for building) · fur modon (hardened block used for building) · fi tiilenpunainen (color) · es ladrillo (hardened block used for building) · kum керпич (hardened block used for building) · ota آجر (a building material) · bn ইট (hardened block used for building) · es briqueta (hardened block used for building) · mk цигла (hardened block used for building) · cs cihla (hardened block used for building) · kl qarmasissiaq (hardened block used for building) · sgs plints (hardened block used for building) · ar قَرْمِيد (hardened block used for building) · ar طوبة (hardened block used for building) · tyv тууйбу (hardened block used for building) · he לְבֵנָה (hardened block used for building) · arc ܠܒܬܐ (hardened block used for building) · de Ziegel (a building material) · sgs plīta (hardened block used for building) · crh tola (a building material) · fa آجُر (hardened block used for building) · lez кирпич (hardened block used for building) · uz gʻisht (hardened block used for building) · ka აგური (hardened block used for building) · nds Backsteen (hardened block used for building) · am ጡብ (hardened block used for building) · ba кирбес (a building material) · de externes Netzteil (an external power supply) · sk tehla (hardened block used for building) · ne इँट्टा (hardened block used for building) · uga 𐎍𐎁𐎐𐎚 (hardened block used for building) · fr rouge brique (color) · te ఇటుక (hardened block used for building) · cy bricsen (hardened block used for building) · el τούβλο (hardened block used for building) · sg birîki (hardened block used for building) · zh 磚 /砖 (a heavy electronic device that has become obsolete) · sh cígla (hardened block used for building) · bg тухла (a heavy electronic device that has become obsolete) · pms mon (hardened block used for building) · mr वीट (hardened block used for building) · ja 煉瓦 (hardened block used for building) · sv tegel (a building material) · ota آجر (hardened block used for building) · si ගඩොල් (hardened block used for building) · is múrsteinn (a building material) · vi gạch (hardened block used for building) · os агуыридур (hardened block used for building) · ar قرميد (hardened block used for building) · as ইটা (hardened block used for building) · es tabique (hardened block used for building) · ccp 𑄃𑄨𑄑𑄴 (hardened block used for building) · ga bríce (hardened block used for building) · sah кирпииччэ (hardened block used for building) · az kərpic (hardened block used for building) · ro cărămidă (a building material) · fi tiili (a building material) · rgn prē (hardened block used for building) · mg biriky (hardened block used for building) · av кирпич (hardened block used for building) · uk це́гла (hardened block used for building) · fy bakstein (hardened block used for building) · nb murstein (hardened block used for building) · my အုတ် (hardened block used for building) · da knag (term for a helpful, reliable person) · sl opeka (a building material) · id merah bata (color) · ar آجُرَّة (hardened block used for building) · ml ഇഷ്ടിക (hardened block used for building) · ru кирпи́ч (hardened block used for building) · mk цигла (a building material) · sv tegelsten (hardened block used for building) · mww thwv cib (hardened block used for building) · ky кыш (hardened block used for building) · is tígulsteinn (hardened block used for building) · fa خِشْت (hardened block used for building) · ja 煉瓦 (a building material) · pt tijolo (a building material) · nl kanjer (term for a helpful, reliable person) · oc maon (hardened block used for building)
From Late Middle English brik, bryke, bricke, from Middle Low German and Middle Dutch bricke ("cracked or broken brick; tile-stone"; modern Dutch brik), ultimately related to Proto-West Germanic *brekan (“to break”), whence also Old French briche and French brique (“brick”). Compare also German Low German Brickje (“small board, tray”). Related to break.
The social media slang sense derives from memes about building up one's feed “brick by brick”, analogizing bricks with reels that inform the algorithm.
The sense of a helpful, reliable person comes from Lycurgus referring to the army as the walls of Sparta, every man a brick.
Meanings
(transitive) To build, line, or form with bricks.
If the ground is strong right up to the surface, a few yards are usually sunk and bricked before the engines and pit top are erected 1904, Thomas Hansom Cockin, An Elementary Class-Book of Practical Coal-Mining, C. Lockwood and Son, page 78:
to be bricked alive (as a form of capital punishment)
He came in and we went out to the back area I'd bricked amateurishly years ago. 2010, Peter Corris, Torn Apart, Allen and Unwin, page 18:
The shaft was next bricked between the decks until the top scaffold was supported by the brickwork and [made] to share the weight with the prids. 1914, The Mining Engineer, Institution of Mining Engineers, page 349:
(transitive) To make into bricks.
The plant, which is here described, for bricking fine ores and flue dust, was designed and the plans produced in the engineering department of the Selby smelter. 1904 August 15, James C. Bennett, “Lead Smelting and Refining with Some Notes on Lead Mining”, in Walter Renton Ingalls, editor, The Engineering and Mining Journal, published 1906, page 66:
(slang, transitive) To hit someone or something with a brick.
(slang, transitive) To make (an electronic device) non-functional and usually beyond repair, as a result of software or configuration issues.
installing third-party firmware will void your warranty, and it is possible that you may brick your router. 2007 December 14, Joe Barr, “PacketProtector turns SOHO router into security powerhouse”, in Linux.com:
My VCR was bricked during the lightning storm.
Just need to project against users from deleting NK.BIN and bricking the device. 2002 October 15, Mike Leeson, “How to write protect nk.bin”, in microsoft.public.windowsce.platbuilder (Usenet), retrieved 25 Feb 2016, message-ID <OHm5#hLdCHA.2592@tkmsftngp09>:
Google owner Alphabet’s subsidiary Nest is closing a smart-home company it bought less than two years ago, leaving customers’ devices useless as of May. […] The company declined to share how many customers would be left with bricked devices as a result of the shutdown. 2016, Alex Hern, “Revolv devices bricked as Google's Nest shuts down smart home company”, in The Guardian:
(intransitive, slang) Of an electronic device, to become non-functional, especially in a way beyond repair, as a result of software or configuration issues.
My phone bricked halfway through the videoconference.
it ... (electronics: to render non-functional) · mk ѕида (build with bricks) · nl tot bakstenen bakken (make into brick) · el πλινθοδομώ (build with bricks) · fr briquer (electronics: to render non-functional) · it murare (build with bricks) · cs zdít (build with bricks) · it distruggere (electronics: to render non-functional) · fr bricker (electronics: to render non-functional) · it sminchiare (electronics: to render non-functional) · zh 使……變磚 /使……变砖 (electronics: to render non-functional) · de bricken (electronics: to render non-functional) · it rompere (electronics: to render non-functional) · it scassare (electronics: to render non-functional) · ja 文鎮化する (electronics: to render non-functional) · ru окирпи́чить (electronics: to render non-functional) · cs bricknout (make into brick) · it such as sfasciare (electronics: to render non-functional)