brick

C1 · Advanced Countable noun Computing Informal · Slang

n. a piece of electronic equipment, like a phone, that no longer works at all.

n. an electronic device that has become completely non-functional, typically due to a corrupted firmware update or hardware failure.

“My phone turned into a brick after I tried to install the unofficial software.”

“After the failed BIOS flash, the expensive gaming laptop was reduced to a literal brick, requiring a professional motherboard replacement.”

C1 · Advanced Countable noun Sports Slang

n. a shot in basketball that hits the rim or backboard hard and misses.

n. a basketball shot that misses the basket entirely or bounces off the rim with a flat, heavy trajectory.

“He threw up a brick in the final seconds of the game.”

“The crowd groaned as the star player launched a brick that hit the front of the rim and bounced halfway back to mid-court.”

B2 · Upper Intermediate

v. to build a wall or close an opening using bricks.

v. to construct, line, or pave with bricks; often used with 'up' to mean closing an opening.

“They decided to brick up the old fireplace to save space in the room.”

“The city council voted to brick the pedestrian walkway using traditional patterns to match the historic district's aesthetic.”

C1 · Advanced Computing Informal · Slang · Technical

v. to accidentally make a computer or phone stop working forever by changing its software.

v. to render an electronic device permanently non-functional through a software error or failed update.

“Be careful when updating the system, or you might brick your tablet.”

“The developer warned that attempting to bypass the security protocols could easily brick the device, voiding the warranty in the process.”

C2 · Proficiency American English · Dialect · Slang

adj. a slang way to say the weather is extremely cold.

adj. a regional colloquialism describing weather that is intensely or bitterly cold.

“Make sure you wear a heavy coat today because it is brick outside.”

“I wasn't prepared for how brick it gets in the city during February, especially with the wind coming off the river.”