hitting the bricks

Verb

hit the bricks (third-person singular simple present hits the bricks, present participle hitting the bricks, simple past and past participle hit the bricks)

1. (idiomatic) To travel about, especially on foot.
   • [T]housands of brewers, waiters and waitresses, bartenders, cooks, checkers, cashiers, dishwashers, hotel maids and bellmen, too, would be forced to hit the bricks in search of other work.1949 June 18, Victor Riesel, “Inside Labor”, in St. Petersburg Times, retrieved 24 Jun 2009, page 30

   Synonyms:

   perambulate, pound the pavement, ramble

2. (idiomatic) To leave or depart; to get out.
   • Alas, Hancock did not have his receipt, so the shop owner told him to hit the bricks.2004 September 20, “No NHL? No NHL!!!”, in Washington Post, retrieved 24 Jun 2009, page D02

   Synonyms:

   hit the road, hit the trail

3. (idiomatic) To participate in a workplace strike or other job action; to participate in a public protest, especially one involving picketing.
   • When Harry Bridges told his boys to hit the bricks, Charley was always up front in the longshoremen's wall of flesh. His picketing record in the bloody dockside strife of 1934 and in the all-out strike of 1937 was perfect.1947 March 31, “National Affairs: Waterfront Conchie”, in Time

   Synonyms:

   take to the bricks, picket, protest, strike, walk out