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16 9.9
To hit someone hard on the head to seriously hurt them
  • verb
  • /breɪn/
  • NSFW
translation icon : golpear a alguien en la cabeza
  • He tried to brain one of the orderlies with this goddamned thing.

Examples

  • The villain planned to brain his adversary in the final duel.

  • He was angry and threatened to brain me with a heavy rock.

  • Come back here, so that I may brain thee!

  • - He was fixing to brain me with his club.

  • Oh, Joan, if you say that again, I'll brain you.

  • Why don't we just brain her and grab it?

  • Vitti winds up to brain him with the pipe.

    Fiction book (1999)
  • I'm gonna brain you!

  • A moment later they heard the engineer: "Feeny brained him with his shovel."

    Fiction book (2001)
  • In a fit of rage, she lifted the bat to brain her opponent.

Synonyms

to hit
vsto brain
1.0

To strike someone or something with force

means a violent head strike aimed to injure or kill rather than any contact
to bash
vsto brain
  • NSFW
73 2.9

To hit someone or something very hard

refers specifically to a hard blow to the head aimed to injure or kill
to beat to a pulp
vsto brain
  • Offensive
15 7.6

Hit someone many times until they are badly hurt or win against them very clearly

describes a hard head blow aimed to injure or kill rather than many blows
to bash in
vsto brain
  • NSFW
13 7.5

Hit something hard so it breaks or opens

focuses on a single head strike intended to injure or kill not general violence
to nut
vsto brain
  • Slang
6 9.9

To hit someone with your head

is the more neutral term describing a severe head strike meant to injure
to headbutt
vsto brain
4 6.1

To hit someone or something hard with your head

focuses on a hard blow aimed to injure or kill rather than just striking
to concuss
vsto brain
  • Specialized
4 8.9

To injure the brain by a hit, making the person confused or unconscious

describes a violent hit aimed to injure or kill rather than the medical result
to smash the head
vsto brain
  • Offensive
8.8

Hit a person's head very hard and cause serious injury

is used to mean striking to injure or kill rather than general violence

Antonyms

1.0

To keep someone or something safe from harm

481 1.2

To become healthy again after an injury, illness, or emotional pain

Idioms

13 5.8

Think very hard to remember something or solve a problem

to beat my brain
  • Informal
1 8.2

To think very hard to remember something or to solve a problem

1 4.2

Think carefully before you speak or act

To try to get rid of bad pictures or thoughts in your mind after something upsetting

to bend my brain
  • Informal
8.8

To think very hard about something until you feel confused

9.1

To think very hard to remember or solve a problem

To behave in a silly and immature way

A thought that keeps coming into your mind and is hard to forget

7.9

A state of always thinking about your job even when trying to relax

Phrasal Verbs

To ask someone for ideas or advice about something they know well

Compounds

brain damage
  • Specialized
75 3.7

Injury to the brain that causes long term problems with how it works

brain tumor
  • Specialized
60 3.4

An unusual growth of cells in the brain that can be harmful

brain cell
  • Specialized
46 2.8

A cell in the brain that sends and receives messages

brain wave
  • Specialized
35 4.0

A pattern of electrical activity in the brain seen on an EEG

brain surgery
  • Specialized
24 4.1

An operation on the brain to treat illness or injury

brain dead
  • Specialized
19 7.4

A person with no brain activity and no chance to get better, though the body may still work

16 2.9

A doctor who operates on the brain and nerves

brain stem
  • Specialized
15 4.1

The part of the brain near the spinal cord that controls breathing and heart rate

brain-damaged
  • Specialized
13 7.2

With a serious injury to the brain that makes it hard to think or move

brain trust
  • Literature
11 5.6

A group of expert advisors who help a leader, often unofficially in politics

right brain
  • Specialized
7 5.6

Part of the brain that controls the left side of the body and helps with creativity and understanding space

brain disease
  • Specialized
5 3.2

An illness that damages the brain and makes it work less well

5 4.4

Left half of the brain that controls the right body side and helps with language and thinking

brain disorder
  • Specialized
5 3.7

A health problem that harms the brain and how it works

5 4.2

The leaving of skilled or well educated people from a country to work abroad for better jobs

brain death
  • Specialized
4 5.8

A condition when all brain activity stops and cannot return, even if the heart still beats

blood-brain barrier
  • Specialized
3 5.1

A barrier of blood vessels and cells that stops harmful substances in the blood from entering the brain

3 6.5

A hard puzzle that needs careful thought to solve

brain fart
  • Slang
3 9.3

A short moment when you forget something or get confused

brain science
  • Specialized
2 3.7

Study of the brain and how it works

brain fever
  • Archaic
1 9.9

An old name for a serious infection of the brain or its lining

brain bucket
  • Slang
1 9.0

A protective helmet worn when riding a bicycle or motorcycle

booger brain
  • Offensive
1 9.9

A person who acts silly, said as a playful insult

1 5.5

A clear liquid around the brain that protects it and helps it work

brain truster
  • Literature
1 8.6

A person who gives expert advice to political leaders without an official job

brain edema
  • Specialized
1 4.8

Swelling in the brain that happens when extra fluid builds up

brain-stem
  • Specialized
1 4.4

The part of the brain at the base that connects to the spinal cord and controls breathing and heart rate

limbic brain
  • Specialized
1 6.5

A group of brain parts that help control emotions, memory and behavior

6.0

Flow of the clear fluid in and around the brain

A poisonous mushroom with a wrinkled cap that looks like a brain

brain rot
  • Slang
7.7

A slow loss of clear thinking from little mental activity or too much screen time

brain sugar
  • Specialized
8.0

A simple sugar found in milk and body tissues that helps the brain grow

brain traffic
  • Informal
8.5

Busy, messy thoughts that make it hard to focus

brain-fag
  • NSFW
9.9

A feeling of mental tiredness that makes it hard to think

brain behavior
  • Specialized
5.6

The way brain activity links to a person's actions

brain candy
  • Informal
6.5

Fun TV shows or books that do not need much thought

A large hard sea animal with a wrinkled surface that looks like a brain

brain-worker
  • Archaic
7.2

A person who uses thinking to solve problems and create ideas in their job

bubble brain
  • Informal
9.5

A short time when someone cannot think clearly

The brain of a young cow that people eat

acute brain disorder
  • Specialized
7.3

A sudden short-term brain problem that makes a person confused and often follows illness, injury, or medicine use

Temporary state of confusion and disorientation caused by short-term brain damage from infection, injury or drugs

addle-brain
  • Offensive
9.9

A person who is confused and forgetful

feather-brain
  • Offensive
9.1

A person who often forgets things and acts silly

8.5

A silly idea that shows little thought

fish brain
  • Offensive
9.0

A person who often forgets things and is not careful

mathy brain
  • Informal
8.5

A mind that naturally likes and understands numbers and logic

8.1

A mild brain problem in children, often in boys, that causes problems with behaviour and learning

A condition in children that makes them restless and have trouble paying attention, now called ADHD

olfactory brain
  • Specialized
8.2

Part of the brain that helps you smell and connect smells with feelings

A brain problem caused by injury or disease that harms thinking and memory

second brain
  • Jargon
6.5

A system or tool that stores information to help you remember and organize things

split-brain technique
  • Specialized
9.7

A surgery that cuts the connection between the two halves of the brain

visceral brain
  • Specialized
8.8

Part of the brain that controls feelings like fear and pleasure

How Hard

to brain
  • NSFW
16 9.9
to club
8 5.1
to strike
553 2.4
to hit
1.0
tap
66 1.0

Surface Forms

brain infinitive
brained past
brained past participle
braining present participle
brains third person singular

Etymology

The verb brain comes from the noun idea: to 'brain' someone is to hit their head so hard you hit the brain, which is why it means to strike someone on the head.