brick in one's hat
Drunkenness.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“He had a brick in his hat after the party.”
“The man stumbled out of the tavern with a brick in his hat, laughing loudly at his own jokes.”
“Despite his attempts to appear composed during the formal dinner, his slurred speech and unsteady gait betrayed the fact that he had a brick in his hat.”
first recorded 19th c.
US, circa 1846. Presumably due to staggering walk when drunk; compare top-heavy with drink.
- 01
abound in one's own sense
To follow one’s own inclinations and opinions.
- 02
ace up one's sleeve
A surprise advantage of which others are not aware.
- 03
act one's age
To behave in a manner appropriate to one's age.
- 04
act one's age, not one's shoe size
Synonym of act one's age (“to behave in a mature manner; to avoid being childish”).
- 05
afraid of one's own shadow
Exceptionally timid.
- 06
air one's dirty laundry in public
To reveal one's sordid secrets to the public.
- 07
air one's dirty linen in public
Synonym of air one's dirty laundry in public.
- 08
albatross around one's neck
A characteristic, possession, associate, or previous deed that hinders one's ability to succeed.
Last updated August 10, 2026