B2 verb Informel

brain

/breɪn/

To hit someone very hard on the head, typically with a heavy or blunt object. It is a graphic and often informal verb used to describe a violent strike to the skull.

Exemples

3 sur 5
1

He almost brained himself on the low doorframe while walking into the basement.

He nearly hit his head severely on the low doorframe while walking into the basement.

2

The autopsy report indicated that the assailant attempted to brain the victim with a ceramic statue.

The forensic report showed the attacker tried to strike the victim's head with a ceramic statue.

3

Watch out, or you'll brain yourself with that swinging garage door!

Be careful, or you will hit your head on that swinging garage door!

Famille de mots

Nom
brain
Verb
brain
Adverbe
brainlessly
Adjectif
brainy
Apparenté
brainpower
💡

Astuce mémo

Associate the verb 'brain' with 'aiming for the brain'—if you brain someone, you are targeting their brain with a heavy object.

Quiz rapide

The clumsy worker _____ himself on the low-hanging pipe in the warehouse.

Correct !

La bonne réponse est : brained

Exemples

1

He almost brained himself on the low doorframe while walking into the basement.

everyday

He nearly hit his head severely on the low doorframe while walking into the basement.

2

The autopsy report indicated that the assailant attempted to brain the victim with a ceramic statue.

formal

The forensic report showed the attacker tried to strike the victim's head with a ceramic statue.

3

Watch out, or you'll brain yourself with that swinging garage door!

informal

Be careful, or you will hit your head on that swinging garage door!

4

Historical accounts suggest that the soldiers were occasionally brained by falling debris during the siege.

academic

History records that soldiers were sometimes struck on the head by falling rubble during the siege.

5

The aggressive marketing campaign effectively brained the competition before they could even launch their product.

business

The aggressive marketing campaign completely overwhelmed the competitors before they could launch their product.

Famille de mots

Nom
brain
Verb
brain
Adverbe
brainlessly
Adjectif
brainy
Apparenté
brainpower

Collocations courantes

nearly brained almost hit on the head
brain someone with to strike someone's head using a specific object
accidentally brained hitting one's head or someone else's by mistake
threaten to brain to warn someone that you will hit them on the head
brained by a rock struck on the head by a stone

Phrases Courantes

nearly brained

almost suffered a serious head injury from a blow

brain him

an informal, often aggressive command to hit someone on the head

brained it

slang for hitting something accurately or hard (less common)

Souvent confondu avec

brain vs brand

To brand is to mark something with a hot iron or a logo, whereas to brain is to hit the head.

brain vs drain

To drain is to remove liquid or energy, while to brain is a physical act of striking.

📝

Notes d'usage

The verb form of 'brain' is specifically tied to the head. It is quite graphic and usually implies a high degree of force.

⚠️

Erreurs courantes

Learners often think 'braining' refers to thinking or using intelligence; however, as a verb, it only means to strike the head.

💡

Astuce mémo

Associate the verb 'brain' with 'aiming for the brain'—if you brain someone, you are targeting their brain with a heavy object.

📖

Origine du mot

Derived from the Old English 'brægen', referring to the organ; the verbal sense 'to dash the brains out' appeared in the late 14th century.

Modèles grammaticaux

transitive verb regular past tense: brained present participle: braining
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Contexte culturel

The term is often found in older crime fiction, pulp novels, or comic books to describe a physical knockout.

Quiz rapide

The clumsy worker _____ himself on the low-hanging pipe in the warehouse.

Correct !

La bonne réponse est : brained

Mots lis

majority

C1

The greater number or part of a whole, specifically more than half of a total amount or group. It is often used in political or statistical contexts to describe a group that holds the most power or influence.

method

C1

A systematic, logical, and established procedure for accomplishing a task or conducting research. It implies a structured series of steps designed to achieve a specific result or to gain knowledge in a disciplined manner.

occurrence

C1

An occurrence refers to an instance or event where something happens or exists. In a broader sense, it can also describe the frequency or prevalence of a particular phenomenon within a specific context or dataset.

percent

C1

A mathematical term representing a ratio or proportion out of one hundred. It is used extensively to describe changes, statistics, and probabilities in academic and professional contexts.

percentage

C2

A percentage is a rate, number, or amount in each hundred, used to express a proportion or ratio relative to a whole. In academic contexts, it specifically refers to the quantitative measurement of a subset compared to the total population or data set.

periodic

C2

In an academic or library context, a periodic refers to a publication that is issued at regular intervals, such as a scholarly journal, magazine, or newsletter. It is characterized by its recurring nature and is often archived in series to track the development of research or news over time.

principle

B2

A principle is a fundamental truth, law, or rule that serves as the foundation for a system of belief, behavior, or reasoning. It can also refer to a personal code of conduct that guides how an individual chooses to act in various situations.

requirement

C1

A thing that is needed or wanted; a condition that must be met in order to achieve a specific goal or comply with a rule. In formal and academic settings, it often refers to a compulsory qualification or a mandatory standard of performance.

respond

B2

To say or write something as a reply to a question, statement, or letter, or to react to something by taking action. In academic contexts, it often refers to how an organism, system, or person reacts to a specific stimulus or event.

responsive

C1

Characterized by reacting quickly and positively to suggestions, influences, or stimuli. In technical and academic contexts, it describes a system or organism that adapts efficiently to changing conditions or feedback.

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