HOW TO USE THE DICTIONARY

To look up an entry in The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, use the search window above. For best results, after typing in the word, click on the “Search” button instead of using the “enter” key.

Some compound words (like bus rapid transit, dog whistle, or identity theft) don’t appear on the drop-down list when you type them in the search bar. For best results with compound words, place a quotation mark before the compound word in the search window.

guide to the dictionary

brick

(brĭk)

a. A molded rectangular block of clay baked by the sun or in a kiln until hard and used as a building and paving material.

b. Such blocks of clay used as a building material: a house made of brick.

c. An object shaped like such a block: a brick of cheese.

d. Informal A smartphone, tablet, or similar electronic device that connects to the internet that has become inoperable.

2. A dark brownish red.

3. Informal A helpful, reliable person.

4. Basketball A shot that falls short of the basket.

v. bricked, brick·ing, bricks

v. tr.

1. To construct, line, or pave with bricks.

2. To close or wall with brick: bricked up the windows of the old house.

3. Informal To cause to become inoperable. Used especially of electronic devices, such as smartphones and tablets, that connect to the internet. I bricked my smartphone when I tried to untether it.

v. intr.

Informal To become inoperable. Used especially of electronic devices, such as smartphones and tablets, that connect to the internet.

Idiom:

drop a brick Informal

To make a clumsy social error.

[Middle English brike, from Middle Dutch bricke.]

brick adj.

bricky adj.

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

American Heritage Dictionary Products

HOW TO USE THE DICTIONARY

THE USAGE PANEL

AMERICAN HERITAGE DICTIONARY APP

THE AMERICAN HERITAGE DICTIONARY BLOG

INTERESTED IN DICTIONARIES?

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

American Heritage Dictionary Products