barleycorn
/'bɑ:likɔ:n/
Definition
- Noun:
- A single grain of barley: A barleycorn is an individual seed or grain from the barley plant (Hordeum vulgare), a type of cereal grass.
- A historical unit of length: Historically, the term "barleycorn" was used as a unit of measurement, where three barleycorns placed end-to-end equaled one inch.
Examples of Usage
- Noun:
- The recipe calls for one cup of pearl barley, which is made from polished barleycorns.
- In old English law, the inch was formally defined as the length of three barleycorns taken from the middle of the ear.
Advanced Usage
- "John Barleycorn": A personification of barley and the alcoholic beverages (like beer and whisky) made from it, often used in folklore and literature.
- The old folk song "John Barleycorn" tells the story of the cultivation, death, and transformation of barley into beer.
Variants and Related Words
- Barley (n): The cereal plant itself or its grains collectively.
- Barley is often used in soups and stews.
- Pearl barley (n): Barley grains that have been polished to remove the outer husk and bran.
- Barley sugar (n): A type of hard, translucent candy originally made with barley water.
Synonyms
- Grain: A general term for the small, hard seeds of food plants like wheat, barley, or rice.
- Kernel: A softer term for the inner, edible part of a seed or grain.
Related Phrases
(This word does not commonly form phrasal verbs.)
Related Idioms
- "Take one's barleycorn": An old, largely obsolete idiom meaning to have a drink of alcoholic liquor.
- After a long day, the farmers would go to the inn to take their barleycorn.
Noun
-
a grain of barley
-
a grain of barley
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