Barley

• POS: Interjection, Noun
• HYPHEN: bar=ley

CIDE DICTIONARY

Barley, n. [OE. barli, barlich, AS. bærlic; bere barley + līc (which is prob. the same as E. like, adj., or perh. a form of AS. leāc leek). AS. bere is akin to Icel, barr barley, Goth. barizeins made of barley, L. far spelt; cf. W. barlys barley, bara bread. 92. Cf. Farina, 6th Bear.].

 A valuable grain, of the family of grasses, genus Hordeum, used for food, and for making malt, from which are prepared beer, ale, and whisky.  [1913 Webster]

Barley bird (Zoöl.), the siskin. -- Barley sugar, sugar boiled till it is brittle (formerly with a decoction of barley) and candied. -- Barley water, a decoction of barley, used in medicine, as a nutritive and demulcent.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Barley, n.
1 any of various hardy awned cereals of the genus Hordeum widely used as food and in malt liquors and spirits such as whisky.
2 the grain produced from this (cf. pearl barley).

Idiom

barley sugar an amber-coloured sweet made of boiled sugar, traditionally shaped as a twisted stick. barley water a drink made from water and a boiled barley mixture.

Etymology

OE b{aelig}rlic (adj.) f. b{aelig}re, bere barley

THESAURUS

Barley

bird seed, bran, cat food, chicken feed, chop, corn, dog food, eatage, ensilage, feed, fodder, forage, grain, hay, mash, meal, oats, pasturage, pasture, pet food, provender, scratch, scratch feed, silage, slops, straw, swill, wheat