barley water
Definition
- Noun:
- A beverage made from barley: A drink prepared by boiling barley in water, often strained and sometimes flavored. It is known for its mild, starchy quality and has been traditionally used, especially in historical or specific dietary contexts, as a nourishing liquid for infants or invalids.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- The nurse prepared some barley water for the sick child.
- In the 19th century, barley water was a common infant feed.
- She finds barley water to be a soothing and gentle drink.
Advanced Usage
- Historical/Culinary Context: While its primary association is with historical infant feeding, "barley water" can also refer to a simple, non-alcoholic drink consumed for its perceived health benefits or refreshment.
- The recipe book included a section on traditional tonics like barley water and ginger beer.
Variants and Related Words
- Barley (n): The cereal grain from which barley water is made.
- Barley sugar (n): A type of hard candy originally made with barley water.
- Orgeat (n): A sweet syrup made from almonds, sugar, and rose water or orange flower water. While not the same, it is sometimes confused due to its name's origin from the French word for barley ().
Synonyms
- Barley broth (archaic): An older term for a similar preparation.
- Barley tea: A related but distinct beverage, common in East Asia, made from roasted barley.
Notes on Meaning
- The term specifically denotes the liquid resulting from boiling barley. It is not typically used to describe plain water in which barley has merely been soaked without boiling, nor does it refer to alcoholic barley-based drinks like beer.
- Its traditional use "to feed infants" is a specific application of the beverage, not its sole definition.
Noun
-
used to feed infants
