few bricks short of a load
a few bricks short of a (full) load
A pejorative phrase meaning not very intelligent or of questionable mental capacity. It can appear in many different forms and variations (for example: a few sandwiches short of a picnic, a few cards shy of a full deck, etc.). He says he's going to start a business selling bees as pets—I think he may be a few bricks short of a load. The new manager is nice enough, but he's a few bricks short of a full load, if you ask me.
See also: brick, few, load, of, short
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
few bricks short of a load
and few cards shy of a full deck; few cards short of a deck; not playing with a full deck; two bricks shy of a loadFig. lacking in intellectual ability. (Many other variants.) Tom: Joe thinks he can build a car out of old milk jugs. Mary: I think Joe's a few bricks short of a load. Ever since she fell and hit her head, Jane's been a few bricks short of a load, if you know what I'm saying. Bob's nice, but he's not playing with a full deck. You twit! You're two bricks shy of a load.
See also: brick, few, load, of, short
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
- a few bricks short of a (full) load
- a few bricks shy/short of a load
- a few sandwiches short of a picnic
- a few, two, etc. bricks short of a load
- a sandwich short of a picnic
- bricks shy of a load
- one brick shy of a (full) load
- one brick shy of a load
- one sandwich short of a picnic
- sandwich