Brick wall

noun, verb

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see brick, wall. A wall made of bricks.
  2. 2
    An obstacle. figuratively

    "The investigators came up against a brick wall in their search for the missing money when they discovered it had been transferred overseas."

  3. 3
    A type of anti-aliasing filter with a steep cutoff.

    "One of the first problems with the digital audio process is the use of brick wall filters with very steep slopes for anti-aliasing and anti-imaging purposes."

  4. 4
    Someone who is silent or unresponsive. figuratively

    "When mama says she doesn't talk, she means it. She's a brick wall."

Verb
  1. 1
    To build a brick wall around.

    "They forcefully imprisoned her in a decorative room and brick walled it."

  2. 2
    To filter using a brick wall filter.

    "Audio recorded too quietly means that there is more opportunity for noise, even in today's digital workflow. Audio recorded too loud will distort in the analog world, and will simply "brick wall" in digital terms."

  3. 3
    To halt or limit abruptly.

    "The driver stopped the cab on the spot, brick-walled it then and there."

  4. 4
    To be uncooperative and unresponsive.

    "They wanted to know how successful the attack had been. But you brick-walled them."

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