brick

1 of 2

noun

ˈbrik 

often attributive

1

plural bricks or brick : a handy-sized unit of building or paving material typically being rectangular and about 2¹/₄ × 3³/₄ × 8 inches (57 × 95 × 203 millimeters) and made of moist clay hardened by heat

2

: a good-hearted person

3

: a rectangular compressed mass (as of ice cream)

4

: a semisoft cheese with numerous small holes, smooth texture, and often mild flavor

5

: gaffe, blunder

—used especially in the phrase drop a brick

6

: a badly missed shot in basketball

he threw up a brick

brick

2 of 2

verb

bricked; bricking; bricks

transitive verb

1

: to close, face, or pave with bricks

—usually used with up, in, or over

brick up a doorway

brick over an opening

2

: to render (an electronic device, such as a smartphone) nonfunctional (as by accidental damage, malicious hacking, or software changes)

… those who dared hack the phone to add features … risked having it "bricked"—completely and permanently disabled—on the next automatic update …

—Jonathan Zittrain

3

basketball, informal : to miss (a shot) very badly : to throw up a brick on (a shot) (see brick entry 1 sense 6)

brick a free throw

Synonyms

Noun

• mistake
• error
• blunder

Examples of brick in a Sentence

Noun

a house made of brick

a brick of ice cream

children playing with wooden bricks

He has been an absolute brick.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The Viral Phenomenon of the Sorority Girl Standing in front of red, brick buildings, adorned by circular columns and Greek lettering, sorority girls dance in unison. —Marni Rose McFall, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Aug. 2025

The brick building, built in 1882, once served as a bank, hotel, and hospital, providing plenty of remnants of historic charm. —Lauren Jones, Southern Living, 16 Aug. 2025

Verb

On game point, Lenny gets a clean look, right in his money spot on the court, but Lenny bricks the shot and loses the showdown. —Derek Lawrence, Vulture, 28 July 2025

Belkin’s decision to brick more of its devices is just the latest example of a broader industry blind spot. —Charles Radclyffe, Forbes.com, 16 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English bryke, from Middle Dutch bricke

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1592, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing brick

• brick-and-mortar
• brick red
• brick up
• brick wall
• built like a brick shithouse
• clinker brick
• drop a brick

Rhymes for brick

• bick
• chick
• click
• fick
• flick
• hick
• kick
• knick
• lick
• mic
• nick
• pic

Kids Definition

brick

1 of 2 noun

ˈbrik 

1

a

plural bricks or brick : a building or paving material made from clay molded into blocks and baked

b

: a block made of brick

2

: a block shaped like a brick

a brick of ice cream

3

: a semisoft mild-flavored cheese

4

: a badly missed shot in basketball

brick

2 of 2 verb

1

: to close, face, or pave with bricks

2

: to cause (an electronic device) to become nonfunctional (as by damage, hacking, or software changes)