built

built like a brick outhouse and built like a brick shithouse

Fig. well-built-either strong or full-sized. (Built more strongly than is typical. The second form is potentially offensive. Use only with discretion.) Look at that guy's muscles—he's built like a brick shithouse. This garage is built like a brick outhouse. It'll last for years.

See also: brick, like

Rome was not built in a day.

Prov. It takes a lot of time to achieve something important. Professor: When will you finish your research project? Student: It'll take me a while. Rome wasn't built in a day, you know.

See also: day, Rome, was

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be built like a brick shithouse  (British & Australian very informal!)

if someone is built like a brick shithouse, they are very strong and very big I wasn't going to argue with him - he was built like a brick shithouse.

See also: brick, like

be built like a tank

if a person or a vehicle is built like a tank, they are very strong and very big These cars are built like tanks. I should imagine he's pretty strong - he's built like a tank.

See also: like, tank

be built on sand

if something is built on sand, it is not firmly established and is likely to fail They seem quite happy now but I have a feeling that this marriage is built on sand.

See also: sand

Rome wasn't built in a day.

something that you say which means that it takes a long time to do an important job 'Sometimes it feels like we've spent all our lives decorating this house.' 'Well, Rome wasn't built in a day.'

See also: day, Rome