one brick shy of a (full) load
one brick shy 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 shy of a picnic, one card shy of a full deck, etc.). He says he's going to start a business selling bees as pets—I think he may be one brick shy of a load. The new manager is nice enough, but he's one brick shy of a full load, if you ask me.
See also: brick, load, of, one, shy
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
one brick shy of a load
Inf. stupid; dense. Joyce has done some stupid things. Sometimes I think she is one brick shy of a load. Ted is one brick shy of a load. He can't seem to do what he is told without messing up.
See also: brick, load, of, one, shy
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
bricks shy of a load
Mentally impaired, either unintelligent or merely eccentric. For example, He may be handsome but he's not too bright-a few bricks shy of a load. This term, transferring a light load to lightweight mental capacity, is usually preceded by either a few or a specific number such as two . [Slang; 1960s]
See also: brick, load, of, shy
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
one brick shy of a load
mod. stupid; dense. Joyce has done some stupid things. Sometimes I think she is one brick shy of a load.
See also: brick, load, of, one, shy
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions
- a few bricks short of a (full) 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
- few bricks short of a load
- one brick shy of a load
- one sandwich short of a picnic
- picnic
- sandwich