barley
    n 1: a grain of barley [syn: barley, barleycorn]
    2: cultivated since prehistoric times; grown for forage and
       grain

Barley \Bar"ley\, n. [OE. barli, barlich, AS. b[ae]rlic; bere
   barley + l[imac]c (which is prob. the same as E. like, adj.,
   or perh. a form of AS. le[=a]c 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.] (Bot.)
   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 (Zool.), 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.
      [1913 Webster] Barleybrake

Barley
   a grain much cultivated in Egypt (Ex. 9:31) and in Palestine
   (Lev. 27:16; Deut. 8:8). It was usually the food of horses (1
   Kings 4:28). Barley bread was used by the poorer people (Judg.
   7:13; 2 Kings 4:42). Barley of the first crop was ready for the
   harvest by the time of the Passover, in the middle of April
   (Ruth 1:22; 2 Sam. 21:9). Mention is made of barley-meal (Num.
   5:15). Our Lord fed five thousand with "five barley loaves and
   two small fishes" (John 6:9).