Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. to defecate after a lengthy period of constipation.

1984

Partridge DSUE (8th edn) 1053/1: late C.19–20.

2. to tremble with extreme fear note extrapolation in Cameron cit. 1995.

1937		J. Curtis You’re in the Racket, Too 248: I was sweating bricks.
1962		(con. 1940s) G. Mandel Wax Boom 81: We laid out there under them bombs just shaking like a couple of dogs shitting peach pits.
1974		(con. 1960s) R. Price Wanderers 54: His father was probably shitting pickles.
1974		G.V. Higgins Cogan’s Trade (1975) 89: We had somebody [...] that didn’t shit a fuckin’ brick when somebody asks him his name or something.
1976		R. Price Blood Brothers 24: At Cheri’s, Mott was shitting a brick.
1978		S. King Stand (1990) 243: Terrified [...] You were shitting nickels.
1978		A. Maupin Tales of the City (1984) 37: DeDe will shit a brick!
1978		R. Price Ladies’ Man (1985) 231: Some guy comes up to me and I’m shitting pickles, man. [Ibid.] 233: ‘Does Candy know?’ ‘About me?’ He smiled. ‘Are you fuckin’ kiddin’ me? Candy would shit a giraffe.’.
1985		(con. 1968) D.A. Dye Citadel (1989) 122: Shaky as a dog shitting peach pits.
1985		Tracks (Aus.) June 45: I’m really shitting bricks because this chick is really sloppy, it is like rooting a gum boot full of sago, and I’m sure she’s had her back blown off more than once [Moore 1993] .
1986		W.D. Ehrhart Passing Time (1988) 80: I was having a swell time watching you shit bricks.
1995		J. Cameron Vinnie Got Blown Away 64: Some kid Javed went it was Rameez’s new motor. Could hear bricks of shit bouncing off the floor.
1995		I. Rankin Let It Bleed 103: You look to me like you’re shitting snowballs.
1997		Roger’s Profanisaurus in Viz 87 Dec. n.p.: shit a brick […] 2. euph. To be scared. See shit your pants.
1998		J. O’Connor Salesman 195: Listen, about what I said earlier, don’t be shittin’ bricks. I’ve done this before.
2000		C. Cook Robbers (2001) 350: Thought ashe was gonna shoot me. No joke. Almost shit a brick.
2000		M. Collins Keepers of Truth 140: I went out back, sweating bricks that a neighbour might see me.
2001		‘Randy Everhard’ Tattoo of a Naked Lady 243: Shocked, ashamed and shitting bricks.
2004		L. Redhead Peepshow [ebook] ‘Are you nervous?’ [...] ‘I’m shitting bricks’.
2006		D. Mitchell Black Swan Green 318: Must be shittin’ bricks.
2017		L. McInerney Blood Miracles : ‘You’re shitting bicks because you’re sure Dan Kane wants to kill you’.
2019		D. Winslow Border [ebook] Mullen won’t be able to hear a thing. He must be shitting bricks.
2022		J. Hannaham Didn’t Nobody Give a Shit 31: Fear of success had her shitting bricks.

3. to be absolutely delighted.

1967–8		Baker et al. CUSS 193: Shit a brick Astonished.
1976		H. Selby Jr Demon (1979) 99: Wait till you see what I got for you Wentyboy, you’ll shit a brick. A solid gold brick.

4. to be furious.

1967		K. Kolb Getting Straight 20: If we got caught, the State Board would shit a brick.
1967–8		Baker et al. CUSS 193: Shit bricks Disgusted. Annoyed.
1978		J. Krantz Scruples 216: ‘Prince will shit a brick,’ Billy said with a giggle.
1982		A. Maupin Further Tales of the City (1984) 65: My mother [...] ’d shit a brick if she knew I was doing this.

5. to confess (through fear).

2012

C. Stella Rough Riders 62: They couldn’t shit their bricks fast enough. One of them was literally shaking.