1
- a small rectangular block typically made or fired sun-dried clay, used in building砖, 砖块。
1.1
- mass noun bricks collectively as a building material总称砖：
this mill was built of brick
这个磨坊是用砖建造的
as modifier a large brick building.一幢高大的砖楼。
1.2
- a small, rectangular object砖形物：
a brick of ice cream.
冰砖。
1.3
- Brit. a child's toy building block〈英〉（儿童玩的）积木。
2
- Brit. informal, dated a generous, helpful, and reliable person〈英, 非正式, 旧〉慷慨可靠的人; 乐于助人的人：
'You are really a brick, Vi,' Gloria said.
“你真是个大好人, 维,"格洛丽亚说。
1
- with obj. and usu. with adverbial（常作be bricked）block or enclose with a wall of bricks用砖墙围起; 用砖堵住：
the doors have been bricked.
门都用砖墙封了起来。
2
be bricking oneself
Brit. vulgar slang be extremely worried or nervous〈英, 粗俚〉非常担心; 极紧张。
短语
be built like a brick shithouse
a brick short of a load
- 见SHORT.
bricks and mortar
1
- buildings, typically housing建筑物（尤指住房）：
untold acres are being buried under bricks and mortar.
数不清的土地正被用来建造房屋。
1.1
- a building, typically a house, considered in terms of its value as an investment房产。
1.2
- as modifier used to denote a business that operates conventionally rather than (or as well as) over the Internet（企业）按传统模式（而非通过因特网）运营的; 既以传统模式又通过因特网经营的：
the bricks-and-mortar banks.
按传统模式运营的银行。
come up against（或 hit）a brick wall
- face an insuperable problem or obstacle while trying to do something遇见不可克服的困难。
like a ton of bricks
- informal with crushing weight, force, or authority〈非正式〉来势凶猛地, 势不可挡地：
the FA came down on him like a ton of bricks.
足球协会以咄咄逼人之势向他兴师问罪。
you can't make bricks without straw
- proverb nothing can be made or accomplished without proper or adequate material or information〈谚〉巧妇难为无米之炊。
- [ORIGIN: with biblical allusion to Exod. V.; 'without straw' meant without having straw provided' （i.e. the Israelites were required to gather the straw for themselves）. A misinterpretation has led to the current sense.]
词源
late Middle English: from Middle Low German， Middle Dutch bricke, brike; probably reinforced by Old French brique; of unknown ultimate origin.