Word Meaning
ईंट
īñṭ
hinoun, feminine
Meaning
A brick; a rectangular block of fired clay used in construction.
Detailed Meaning
Literally denotes a brick used in masonry. In this verse, it is part of the well-known Hindustani idiom 'deṛh īñṭ kī masjid' (a mosque of one and a half bricks), signifying stubborn isolation, sect-like self-righteousness, and petty aloofness from the collective whole.
Etymology
From Sanskrit इष्टिका (iṣṭikā), via Prakrit इट्ठा (iṭṭhā).
Usage
In classical and modern poetry, it is most often employed in the idiomatic expression 'deṛh īñṭ kī masjid' to satirize narrow dogmatism or stubborn self-isolation.
Examples
To build a separate mosque of one and a half bricks
A single brick coming loose from the ancient wall
Synonyms
खिश्तरोड़ा
Related Words
दीवारमस्जिदगाराखिश्त