brick

brick — noun

1. a hard block, usually made from baked clay, used in walls and other building wor

1.名詞B2
釋義

a hard block, usually made from baked clay, used in walls and other building work; also the material these blocks are made of.

例句

Workers stacked fresh bricks beside the new school wall.

building use with plural bricks

The kitchen stayed cool because the house had thick brick walls.

同義詞
  • block

    a broader word for a solid piece; it does not specifically suggest baked clay for building.

  • masonry unit

    a technical building term for a brick or similar block.

文法句型

a brick

built of brick

用法筆記

As an uncountable noun, brick often follows "of" after words like built or made. As a countable noun, it names one individual piece.

常見錯誤

❌The house was built by brick.
✅The house was built of brick.
💡Use 'of' when you mean the material.

2. a small block for play that lets children make toy buildings and other shapes, o

2.名詞
釋義

a small block for play that lets children make toy buildings and other shapes, often in wood or plastic.

例句

Noa made a tall tower from blue bricks on the rug.

toy-building use with plural bricks

The twins keep their wooden bricks in a cloth bag.

同義詞
  • block

    the general word; brick is often used for a toy piece shaped like a small building brick.

  • cube

    usually suggests a more even square shape than many toy bricks have.

文法句型

play with bricks

build with bricks

用法筆記

This sense is mostly used in the plural when talking about a set of children's building pieces.

3. an electronic device that no longer works at all, often after damage or a failed

3.名詞
釋義

an electronic device that no longer works at all, often after damage or a failed software change.

例句

After the bad update, Leila's tablet was just a brick.

a brick = dead device

One wrong file turned the game console into a brick.

pattern: turn into a brick

同義詞
  • dead device

    a plain descriptive phrase for technology that no longer works.

  • doorstop

    a humorous label for something useless and heavy, not a technical term.

文法句型

be a brick

turn into a brick

用法筆記

Common in tech talk after updates, hacking, or hardware damage. Distinguish from sense 4, which means an old heavy phone that may still work.

常見錯誤

❌My phone is brick after the update.
✅My phone is a brick after the update.
💡This sense is a countable noun.

4. a very large and heavy mobile phone from the early years of cellphones.

4.名詞
釋義

a very large and heavy mobile phone from the early years of cellphones.

例句

Next to her smartphone, Grandpa's old brick looked huge.

informal: brick for an early mobile phone

Rohan pulled a brick from his coat and called a taxi.

同義詞
  • mobile phone

    the neutral general term, without any idea of great size or age.

  • handset

    a slightly more technical word for the phone unit itself.

文法句型

an old brick

a brick of a phone

用法筆記

Used jokingly or critically about the size and weight of early mobile phones. Distinguish from sense 3, which refers to a device that cannot be used.

5. a person who is dependable, generous, and quick to help.

5.名詞
釋義

a person who is dependable, generous, and quick to help.

例句

When the car died, Greta was a brick and drove us home.

be a brick = be very helpful

Thanks for watching the twins, Omar; you're a brick.

common praise after a favor

同義詞
  • lifesaver

    stronger and more dramatic, often for help in a difficult moment.

  • gem

    an informal compliment for someone delightful, not only someone dependable.

文法句型

be a brick

用法筆記

Usually appears after be, often as direct praise to someone who has just helped. It is much less common than ordinary words like helpful or kind.

常見錯誤

❌Thanks for the ride. You are brick.
✅Thanks for the ride. You are a brick.
💡The compliment normally takes the article 'a'.

6. in basketball, a shot that misses so badly it gives no real chance of scoring.

6.名詞
釋義

in basketball, a shot that misses so badly it gives no real chance of scoring.

例句

Theo threw up a brick, and the ball hit the backboard.

basketball slang: throw up a brick

From the corner, Ines shot a brick that missed everything.

同義詞
  • miss

    the general word for any unsuccessful shot.

  • air ball

    more specific: a shot that does not touch the rim or board.

反義詞
  • bucket

    basketball slang for a successful shot or score.

文法句型

shoot a brick

throw up a brick

用法筆記

Common in basketball slang, especially after verbs like shoot, throw up, or fire. A brick is a miss, so it contrasts with made shot.

常見錯誤

❌He shot a brick into the basket.
✅He shot a brick from the corner.
💡A brick is a missed shot, not a successful one.

brick — verb