barley-water

A glass of barley-water sits on the table beside a book.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • barley-water (uncountable) refers to a drink made by boiling barley in water, often flavored with lemon or other ingredients, and typically used as a nourishing or medicinal beverage, especially for convalescents.

Usage Examples

• (A drink made from barley, used for health purposes.)
• (A flavored barley-based beverage.)

Advanced Usage

• "barley-water" is often associated with traditional home remedies or light, non-alcoholic drinks for invalids.
  • Grandmother would always make barley-water when someone was feeling unwell. (A customary remedy for illness.)

Variants and Related Words

• Barley (n): the grain used to make barley-water.

  • Barley is a common cereal grain used in soups and drinks. (The base ingredient.)

• Barley-sugar (n): a type of hard candy made from sugar and barley extract.

  • The children enjoyed barley-sugar sweets. (A confectionery related to barley.)

Synonyms

• Barley tea: a similar infusion made from roasted barley, popular in East Asian cuisines.
• Barley broth: a thinner, more liquid preparation of barley used as a soup or drink.

Related Idioms

• (No common idioms directly involve "barley-water," but the phrase "as weak as barley-water" may be used metaphorically to describe something insipid or lacking strength.)
  • His argument was as weak as barley-water. (Lacking force or substance.)