mortar
paste used to hold bricks
A wet mix, usually of cement, sand, and water, that holds bricks or stones together when they dry.
[something] is held together with mortar
- The old bricks crumbled, but the mortar between them was still solid.
- Workers mixed a fresh batch of mortar before laying the next row of bricks.
- You need to remove the loose mortar from the joints before you start repairing the wall.
- Rain ruined the mortar, so they had to rebuild part of the chimney.
- The bricks are held together with mortar.
- He mixed sand, water, and cement to make mortar.
- They used mortar to build the garden wall.
- The mortar is still wet, so do not touch the wall.
short gun for high-arc shells
A kind of gun used in war that shoots explosive shells high into the air so they drop down on a place.
[someone] fires a mortar at [a place]
- Soldiers took cover as mortar shells landed near their position.
- The army set up a mortar on the hillside to support the advance.
- Civilians were injured in a mortar attack on the market.
- A stray mortar round hit a school on the edge of the city.
- They heard the sound of a mortar in the distance.
- The soldiers fired a mortar at the enemy base.
- A mortar shell fell close to the road.
- The news report spoke about heavy mortar fire near the border.
bowl used for grinding
A strong bowl that you use with a heavy stick (a pestle) to crush or grind things like spices or pills.
grind [something] in a mortar
- She crushed the garlic in a stone mortar before adding it to the sauce.
- The pharmacist used a mortar to grind the tablets into a fine powder.
- This heavy granite mortar is perfect for making curry pastes.
- Please wash the mortar and pestle after you finish grinding the spices.
- He used a mortar to crush the seeds.
- The spices are ground in a mortar and pestle.
- She put the pills in the mortar and broke them into powder.
- The mortar is heavy so it does not move when you grind.
to fix using mortar
To put mortar between bricks or stones so they stay together in a wall or other structure.
to mortar [bricks / stones] together
- They mortared the bricks carefully to make sure the wall was straight.
- Each stone was mortared into place by an experienced mason.
- The outer layer of the wall has been poorly mortared and is starting to crack.
- After mortaring the blocks, the workers smoothed the joints with a trowel.
- The workers mortared the bricks together.
- He will mortar the stones to build a strong wall.
- They mortared the blocks and then cleaned the extra mix off.
- You must mortar the bricks well, or the wall will fall.
- Base: mortar
- Plural: mortar, mortars
- Base: mortar
- 3rd Person Singular: mortars
- Present Participle: mortaring
- Past: mortared
brick and mortar
1physical buildings, not virtual
Physical buildings used for business or living, not online or digital versions.
- Investors are moving money from brick and mortar into online businesses.
- The university is expanding beyond brick and mortar and offering more online courses.
- He prefers the security of brick and mortar over purely digital assets.
brick-and-mortar store
1physical store, not online
A shop or business that has a real building where customers go, not only a website.
- Many people still prefer to shop at a brick-and-mortar store so they can see the product in person.
- The company started online but later opened its first brick-and-mortar store in New York.
- Even with strong online sales, brick-and-mortar stores remain important for the brand.
mortar and pestle
1bowl and tool for grinding
A strong bowl (mortar) and a heavy stick (pestle) used together to crush or grind food, medicine, or other things.
- She used a mortar and pestle to grind the spices for the curry.
- In the lab, students must clean the mortar and pestle after crushing the samples.
- Many traditional recipes call for a mortar and pestle instead of an electric grinder.