barley-broth

A man enjoys a glass of barley-broth at the pub.

Definition

1. Noun (uncountable):
   • A strong alcoholic drink, specifically beer or ale, made from barley. The term "barley-broth" is an informal or archaic expression for a type of strong beer or ale, emphasizing its origin from barley grain.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • After a long day of work, the farmer enjoyed a tankard of barley-broth. (He drank a strong beer made from barley.)
  • In old taverns, patrons would often order barley-broth to warm themselves on cold nights. (They requested a strong ale or beer.)

Advanced Usage

• "To drink barley-broth": an archaic or poetic way to refer to consuming strong beer or ale.
  • The knights raised their cups of barley-broth in a toast. (They drank strong beer as a ceremonial gesture.)

Variants and Related Words

• Barley (n): a cereal grain used in brewing and cooking.
  • Barley is the main ingredient in many types of beer. (The grain used for making malt.)
• Broth (n): a liquid food made by boiling meat or vegetables; here used metaphorically for a liquid drink.
  • Chicken broth is a common remedy for colds. (A savory liquid.)

Synonyms

• Ale: a type of beer, typically stronger and more bitter.
• Stout: a dark, strong beer.
• Porter: a dark, malt-heavy beer.

Related Idioms

• "Barley-broth" is not commonly used in idioms, but the concept connects to:
  • "Wet one's whistle": to have a drink, especially an alcoholic one.
  • He stopped at the pub to wet his whistle with some barley-broth. (He had a drink of strong ale.)

Notes

• This term is rare in modern English and is primarily found in historical texts or dialectal usage. It is not a formal word in contemporary dictionaries but appears in literary or folk contexts.