brick
pronunciation
How to pronounce brick in British English:
UK [brɪk]
How to pronounce brick in American English:
US [brɪk]
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- Noun:
- rectangular block of clay baked by the sun or in a kiln; used as a building or paving material
- a good fellow; helpful and trustworthy
Word Origin
- brick
- brick: [15] For what is today such a common phenomenon, the word brick made a surprisingly late entry into the English language. But of course until the later Middle Ages, bricks were very little used in Britain. It was not until the mid-15th century that they were introduced by Flemish builders, and they appear to have brought the word, Middle Dutch bricke, with them. The ultimate source of the word is not clear, although some have tried to link it with break.
- brick (n.)
- early 15c., from Old French briche "brick," probably from a Germanic source akin to Middle Dutch bricke "a tile," literally "a broken piece," from the verbal root of break (v.). Meaning "a good, honest fellow" is from 1840, probably on notion of squareness (as in fair and square) though most extended senses of brick (and square) applied to persons in English are not meant to be complimentary. Brick wall in the figurative sense of "impenetrable barrier" is from 1886.
- brick (v.)
- "to wall up with bricks," 1640s, from brick (n.). Related: Bricked; bricking.
Example
- 1. Most are built of brick and roofed with asphalt .
- 2. An early motorola cellphone model was about the size of a brick .
- 3. A brick thrown through the window hit her father on the head . He survived .
- 4. The burned land is brick red in the lower image .
- 5. It has similar mud walls and arched brick .