beer

beer
\ \ [OE] Originally, beer was probably simply a general term for a ‘drink’: it seems to have come from late Latin biberdrink’, which was a derivative of the verb biberedrink’ (from which English gets beverage, bibulous, imbibe, and possibly also bibber). The main Old English word for ‘beer’ was ale, and beer (Old English bēor) is not very common until the 15th century.
\ \ A distinction between hopped beer and unhopped ale arose in the 16th century.
\ \ Cf.BEVERAGE, BIBULOUS, IMBIBE

Word origins - 2ed. . 2005.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • béer — [ bee ] v. intr. <conjug. : 1> • baer 1121; lat. pop. °batare « bâiller » 1 ♦ Rare Être grand ouvert. Qui bée. ⇒ béant. « À ses pieds béait la valise bigarrée d étiquettes multicolores » (Martin du Gard). 2 ♦ Littér. Avoir la bouche ouverte …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Beer — steht für: Beer (Familienname), der Familienname Beer Beer (Architektenfamilie), eine Familie von Barockbaumeistern aus dem Bregenzer Wald Beer (Devon), einen Ort in England Beer (Somerset), eine Ortschaft in der Gemeinde Aller in Somerset in… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • beer — W3S2 [bıə US bır] n [: Old English; Origin: beor] 1.) [U] an alcoholic drink made from ↑malt and ↑hops ▪ a pint of beer ▪ We sell traditional draught beer (=beer served from a large container, not a bottle) . 2.) a glass, bottle, or can of beer …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • beer´i|ly — beer|y «BIHR ee», adjective, beer|i|er, beer|i|est. 1. of beer: »a beery odor. 2. caused by or influenced by beer: »beery good humor …   Useful english dictionary

  • beer|y — «BIHR ee», adjective, beer|i|er, beer|i|est. 1. of beer: »a beery odor. 2. caused by or influenced by beer: »beery good humor …   Useful english dictionary

  • Beer — Beer, n. [OE. beor, ber, AS. be[ o]r; akin to Fries. biar, Icel. bj?rr, OHG. bior, D. & G. bier, and possibly E. brew. [root]93, See {Brew}.] 1. A fermented liquor made from any malted grain, but commonly from barley malt, with hops or some other …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Beer —    Beer has been brewed in Brussels and the surrounding communes since the beginning of the 13th century, ever since the requisite grains barley and wheat and hops have been grown here. In 1295, John II, duke of Brabant, authorized the city… …   Historical Dictionary of Brussels

  • beer — O.E. beor strong drink, beer, mead, a word of much disputed and ambiguous origin, cognate with O.Fris. biar, M.Du., Du. bier, O.H.G. bior, Ger. Bier. Probably a 6c. West Germanic monastic borrowing of V.L. biber a drink, beverage (from L.… …   Etymology dictionary

  • beer — [ bır ] noun *** uncount a yellow or brown alcoholic drink made from MALT (=grain that has been left in water and then dried) and HOPS (=a type of plant). You make or brew beer: I don t drink beer, only wine. a barrel of beer a. count a glass or… …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • beer — BEER. v. n. Tenir la bouche ouverte en regardant long temps quelque chose. Il n est en usage qu en cette phrase prov. & figurée. Beer aux corneilles, pour dire, S amuser à regarder en l air niaisement. Beer, signifie aussi figur. Desirer quelque… …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie française

  • beer — ► NOUN ▪ an alcoholic drink made from yeast fermented malt flavoured with hops. ● beer and skittles Cf. ↑beer and skittles ORIGIN from Latin biber a drink , from bibere to drink …   English terms dictionary

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”