brick wall

noun

Updated on: 22 May 2018

Definition of brick wall

1 : a wall made of brick

2 : an immovable block or obstruction

the plan ran into a brick wall

Recent Examples of brick wall from the Web

The boys covered the part of the brick wall that met the car with a black tarp to create the illusion that the car had broken through.

— NBC News, "Police congratulate Wisconsin boys for creative senior prank," 16 May 2018
Trigg added: [T]he cop then used his other hand to SMASH my son’s head into the brick wall and down to the floor...

— michael harriot, The Root, "College Student Says He Was Attacked by Cops for Skateboarding Because ... Someone Could Get Hurt, You Know," 26 Apr. 2018
Relatives identified the victim as Joan Woodier, who was sitting in the front room of her house in the waterfront town of Clevendon, U.K., as the Ford Transit came crashing through a brick wall, burying her in rubble.

— Fox News, "Van smashes into home and kills 90-year-old woman," 20 Apr. 2018
The guard stepped outside to begin a perimeter check, glancing up at the windows and beaming his flashlight on the section abutting the brick wall of Bank Alley.

— Outside Online, "The Curious Case of the Fly-Fishing Feather Thief," 19 Apr. 2018
The apartment building, like most in this part of the city, was once a big factory and retains original details, such as squared openings, duct work, exposed brick walls, and bronze entrance hoods.

— catherine laughlin, Philly.com, "An Old City apartment that's 'organized but playful'," 22 Mar. 2018
Other features include large windows, exposed brick walls, concrete columns and high ceilings.

— tom daykin, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "New Haymarket Lofts apartments opening in historic building near future Bucks arena," 5 Jan. 2018
The sunny loft has six original columns, 13-foot ceilings, oversized windows with a view over Greene Street, and restored exposed brick walls, according to the property listing.

— rachel kashdan, ELLE Decor, "Update: Adam Levine And Behati Prinsloo Sell Lower Manhattan Loft," 15 Apr. 2016
The junior from North Reading was a brick wall in net for the 22-3 Raiders, compiling a 0.73 goals-against average and .968 save percentage en route to a Super 8 berth.

— BostonGlobe.com, "2017-18 Boys' Hockey All-Scholastics," 6 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'brick wall.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of brick wall

15th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

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