Word: Brick Up
Definition: "Brick up" is a verb phrase that means to close off or block an opening, such as a door, window, or passage, by building a wall with bricks.
Usage Instructions: You can use "brick up" when talking about construction or when you want to describe the action of making a space inaccessible by using bricks. It is often used in both literal and metaphorical contexts.
Example: - The old building was unsafe, so the city decided to brick up the windows to prevent anyone from entering.
Advanced Usage: In a broader or metaphorical sense, "brick up" can also refer to blocking off feelings or communication. For example: - After the argument, she felt like she had bricked up her emotions and didn’t want to talk to anyone.
Word Variants:There are no direct variants of "brick up," but you can find related words in construction, such as: - Bricking: The process of laying bricks. - Bricked: An adjective that can describe something made of bricks or something that is blocked off.
Different Meanings:While "brick up" primarily refers to constructing with bricks, in a metaphorical context, it can mean to close oneself off emotionally or socially.
Synonyms: - Seal off - Block up - Wall up - Close up
Idioms and Phrasal Verbs: "Brick up" itself is a phrasal verb. There aren’t specific idioms that use "brick up," but phrases like "put up walls" can convey a similar idea of emotional or physical barriers.
In Summary: "Brick up" means to block an opening with bricks, often used in construction contexts. It can also be used metaphorically to describe emotional closure.