brain

noun, verb

in head 1 [C] the organ inside the head that controls movement, thought, memory and feeling: damage to the brain * brain cells * She died of a brain tumour. * a device to measure brain activity during sleep food 2 (brains) [pl.] the brain of an animal, eaten as food: sheep's brains intelligence 3 [U,C,usually pl.] the ability to learn quickly and think about things in a logical and intelligent way: It doesn't take much brain to work out that both stories can't be true. * Teachers spotted that he had a good brain at an early age. * You need brains as well as brawn (= intelligence as well as strength) to do this job. intelligent person 4 [C,usually pl.] (informal) an intelligent person: We have the best scientific brains in the country working on this. 5 (the brains) [sing.] the most intelligent person in a particular group; the person who is responsible for thinking of and organizing sth: He's always been the brains of the family. * The band's drummer is the brains behind their latest venture. IDIOMS have sth on the brain (informal) to think about sth all the time, especially in a way that is annoying: He has sex on the brain. moreatBEATv., BLOWv., CUDGELv., PICKv., RACKv. verb [VN] (informal) to kill a person or an animal by hitting them very hard on the head: I nearly brained myself on that low beam.