# brains

/ˈbɹeɪnz/ (US) · /bɹˈeɪnz/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/brains
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. intelligence

noun · CEFR B1 · Informal

your ability to think clearly and solve problems.

For teachers: intellectual capacity or mental acuity. Often used in the plural to denote general intelligence.

- He has the brains to go to a top university if he works hard.
- It takes more than just raw brains to succeed in this industry; you also need persistence and a strong professional network.

### 2. the planner

noun · CEFR B2 · Informal

the person who plans or organises a complicated task.

For teachers: the principal planner or organiser of a collective activity. Usually used with the definite article.

- She was the brains behind the whole project.
- While the rest of the team handled the execution, Sarah was undoubtedly the brains behind the entire marketing strategy.

### 3. anatomical organs

noun · CEFR A2

more than one brain; the organs inside the heads of humans or animals.

For teachers: the plural form of the physical organ; also used to refer to the brain of an animal used as food.

- The scientist compared the brains of several different bird species.
- The study examined how the brains of mammals adapt to extreme temperature fluctuations in the wild.

### 4. to hit on the head

verb · CEFR C2 · Informal · Slang

to hit someone very hard on the head.

For teachers: to strike someone heavily on the head, or to kill by smashing the skull. Transitive use.

- In the movie, the hero brains the monster with a heavy rock.
- The protagonist narrowly escapes when he brains his attacker with a nearby fire extinguisher.

Usage: The third-person singular present form of the verb 'to brain'.

## Examples

- She is the brains behind the whole operation.
- While the others handled the physical labor, he was the brains of the group and managed the finances.
- The investigation revealed that the youngest sibling was actually the brains of the criminal enterprise, orchestrating every detail from a remote location.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.