EnglishMain Dictionary
brain
Universal Words
noun, verb
noun
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.