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noun

goldbrick

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Goldbrick (noun) means (informal) A worthless or fake item passed off as genuine; a trick used to cheat someone.

noun

1

(informal) A worthless or fake item passed off as genuine; a trick used to cheat someone.

2

(informal) Someone who avoids work or pretends to be ill to get out of it.

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C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

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Etymology

From gold + brick, originally (1850s) an actual gold ingot or brick, later a swindle that consisted of selling a putative gold brick, which was only coated in gold. The swindle is attested from 1879, the sense “to swindle” is attested 1902, and the sense “to shirk” is attested 1914, popularized as World War I armed forces slang. In early 1900s, used to refer to an unattractive young woman – not pretty, nor able to talk or dance (attested 1903), thence to refer to incompetent enlisted troops at the start of World War I, reinforced by the rank insignia of second lieutenants, which was a gold rectangle.

Frequently asked questions

What is the meaning of goldbrick?

"goldbrick" (noun) means (informal) A worthless or fake item passed off as genuine; a trick used to cheat someone.

What are the different meanings of goldbrick?

"goldbrick" has 2 main meanings: 1. (informal) A worthless or fake item passed off as genuine; a trick used to cheat someone; 2. (informal) Someone who avoids work or pretends to be ill to get out of it.

Definitions from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · etymology from Wiktionary