General
goldbrick
What does goldbrick mean?
A service member who feigns sickness or otherwise avoids duty; as a verb, to loaf.
"Quit goldbricking and get on the work detail."
Origin
US military slang, from the con of passing off a gilded brick as solid gold.
Frequently asked questions
What does 'goldbrick' mean?
As a noun, it's a service member who fakes illness or otherwise dodges duty. As a verb, 'to goldbrick' means to loaf or shirk work.
Where does 'goldbrick' come from?
It's from the old swindle of passing off a gilded brick as solid gold — a worthless thing dressed up to look valuable, applied to a soldier who fakes doing his share.
What's a 'goldbricker'?
It's the same idea in agent-noun form — a habitual shirker who avoids work whenever possible.
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Vocabulary Flow — saved to your collection.
