barley
1
[ bahr-lee ]
/ ˈbɑr li /
noun
a widely distributed cereal plant belonging to the genus Hordeum, of the grass family, having awned flowers that grow in tightly bunched spikes, with three small additional spikes at each node.
the grain of this plant, used as food and in making beer, ale, and whiskey.
Origin of barley
1Words nearby barley
barkley,
barklouse,
barky,
barlach,
barletta,
barley,
barley coal,
barley sack,
barley sandwich,
barley stripe,
barley sugar
Definition for barley (2 of 2)
barley
2
[ bahr-lee ]
/ ˈbɑr li /
noun, plural bar·leys. Scot. and North England.
a truce or quarter, especially in children's games; parley.
Origin of barley
2
1805–15; probably to be identified with Scots
barley, burley, birlie local customary law (Compare
birleyman arbiter,
birleycourt neighborhood court), variant of
birlaw, Medieval Latin
birlawe, birelegia, birelag < Old Norse
*býjarlagu, equivalent to
býjar, genitive singular of
býr town (cf.
bower1,
byre) +
*lagu
law1; compare
bylaw
Example sentences from the Web for barley
British Dictionary definitions for barley (1 of 2)
barley
1
/ (ˈbɑːlɪ) /
noun
any of various erect annual temperate grasses of the genus Hordeum, esp H. vulgare, that have short leaves and dense bristly flower spikes and are widely cultivated for grain and forage
the grain of any of these grasses, used in making beer and whisky and for soups, puddings, etc
See also pearl barley
Word Origin for barley
Old English
bærlīc (adj); related to
bere barley, Old Norse
barr barley, Gothic
barizeins of barley, Latin
farīna flour
British Dictionary definitions for barley (2 of 2)
barley
2
/ (ˈbɑːlɪ) /
sentence substitute
dialect
a cry for truce or respite from the rules of a game
Word Origin for barley
C18: probably changed from
parley