WordWeight : Weighing the Words

Pronunciation : Bar"ley
Part of Speech : n.
Etymology : [OE. barli, barlich, AS. b?rlic; bere barley + lic (which is prob. the same as E. like, adj., or perh. a form of AS. leac leek). AS. bere is akin to Icel, barr barley, Goth. barizeins made of barley, L. far spelt; cf. W. barlys barley, bara bread. Farina,
Definition : Defn: 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. Barley bird (Zo?l.), 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.
Source : Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913