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goldbrick

[ gohld-brik for 1, 2; gohld-brik for 3-5 ]
/ ˈgoʊldˈbrɪk for 1, 2; ˈgoʊldˌbrɪk for 3-5 /
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See synonyms for goldbrick on Thesaurus.com

noun

Informal. a brick made to look like gold, sold by a swindler.
Informal. anything supposed to be valuable but which turns out to be worthless.
Also goldbricker .Slang. a person, especially a soldier, who shirks responsibility or performs duties without proper effort or care.

verb (used without object) Slang.

to shirk responsibility or perform halfheartedly; loaf.

verb (used with object)

to swindle; cheat.

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Origin of goldbrick

An Americanism dating back to 1850–55; gold + brick

Words nearby goldbrick

Goldbergian, Goldberg, Rube, Goldblatt kidney, Goldblatt phenomenon, gold bond, goldbrick, gold bronze, goldbug, gold bullion standard, gold card, gold certificate
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

Words related to goldbrick

pussyfoot, loaf, fence, cheat, sidestep, elude, slip, duck, creep, quit, lounge, shirk, dodge, slink, eschew, lurk, parry, malinger, bum, shun

British Dictionary definitions for goldbrick

gold brick

noun

something with only a superficial appearance of value
US slang an idler or shirker
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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