goldbrick

[ gohld-brik for 1, 2; gohld-brik for 3–5 ]

/ ˈgoʊldˈbrɪk for 1, 2; ˈgoʊldˌbrɪk for 3–5 /

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 gold·brick·er. Slang. a person, especially a soldier, who shirks responsibility or performs duties without proper effort or care.

to shirk responsibility or perform halfheartedly; loaf.

to swindle; cheat.

Origin of goldbrick

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

gold brick

something with only a superficial appearance of value

US slang an idler or shirker