Street voices
Hugues
·
United States
"Built like a brick shithouse. Something you say about someone who is very jacked, built, buff, just very muscular and big. You think that guy Daryl hits the gym? Yeah, of course he hits the gym, look at him, he's built like a brick shithouse."
What it means
A rough, old-school way to say someone’s seriously solid, broad, and powerfully built. It usually means a man who looks strong as hell, thick through the shoulders, chest, and arms, not just gym-toned but properly hefty. It’s meant as praise, but with a blunt, jokey edge to it.
Usage examples
"You see Marcus at the barbecue in that tank top? Dude’s built like a brick shithouse. I’m not arm wrestling him unless my insurance is sorted."
"My new neighbour is built like a brick shithouse, helped me move a fridge upstairs with one hand while holding a coffee in the other, and barely needed a glass of water before walking back to his car parked outside."
"The lad on door at the club is built like a brick shithouse, nobody argues with him on his shift, even the loud parties walk past, give a polite nod and head into the smoking area without a word of protest."
"Have you seen their new tighthead prop? Bloke’s built like a brick shithouse, looks like he eats dumbbells for breakfast."
"I asked Dean to help shift the washing machine and then he turned up built like a brick shithouse in a hoodie. Felt like I’d hired a forklift with a pulse."
Where it comes from
Old British slang. It first described something massively solid and hard to shift, based on those old outdoor toilets built from brick. From there it drifted onto people, especially big blokes, and by the 20th century it was a blunt compliment for someone with a seriously heavy-duty build.
Other ways to say it
Editors of this term
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