brew

[ broo ]
See synonyms for brew on Thesaurus.com
verb (used with object)
  1. to make (beer, ale, etc.) by steeping, boiling, and fermenting malt and hops.

  2. to make or prepare (a beverage, as tea) by mixing, steeping, soaking, or boiling a solid in water.

  1. to concoct, mix, or cook (a beverage or food, especially one containing unmeasured or unusual ingredients): She brewed a pot of soup from the leftovers.

  2. to contrive, plan, or bring about: to brew mischief.

verb (used without object)
  1. to make a fermented alcoholic malt beverage, as beer or ale.

  2. to boil, steep, soak, or cook: Wait until the tea brews.

noun
  1. a quantity brewed in a single process.

  2. a particular brewing or variety of malt liquor.

  1. a hot beverage made by cooking a solid in water, especially tea or coffee.

  2. any concoction, especially a liquid produced by a mixture of unusual ingredients: a witches' brew.

  3. Informal.

    • beer or ale.

    • an individual serving of beer or ale: Let's have a few brews after the game.

Idioms about brew

  1. be brewing, to be forming or gathering; be in preparation: Trouble was brewing.

Origin of brew

1
before 900; Middle English brewen,Old English brēowan; akin to Dutch brouwen,German brauen,Old Norse brugga

Other words for brew

Other words from brew

  • brewer, noun
  • mis·brew, verb (used with object)
  • re·brew, verb
  • un·brewed, adjective
  • un·der·brew, verb (used with object)
  • well-brewed, adjective

Words that may be confused with brew

Words Nearby brew

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use brew in a sentence

  • "And I can return the compliment," was my reply, as we all gathered round a brew of tea to exchange news and compare notes.

    Three More John Silence Stories | Algernon Blackwood
  • Now, in the kitchen, a great searching among jars and boxes on high shelves told of preparation for the occasional brew.

    The Dragon Painter | Mary McNeil Fenollosa
  • “If you will excuse me for a few moments, I will make myself fit to brew you some tea,” said my wife, holding open the door.

    The Idyl of Twin Fires | Walter Prichard Eaton
  • She was stirring the pot diligently, now and then sprinkling in what looked like a brown dust, and watching the brew intently.

  • As a rule, one or two studies would club together to brew, instead of preparing solitary banquets.

    The Gold Bat | P. G. Wodehouse

British Dictionary definitions for brew (1 of 2)

brew1

/ (bruː) /


verb
  1. to make (beer, ale, etc) from malt and other ingredients by steeping, boiling, and fermentation

  2. to prepare (a drink, such as tea) by boiling or infusing

  1. (tr) to devise or plan: to brew a plot

  2. (intr) to be in the process of being brewed: the tea was brewing in the pot

  3. (intr) to be impending or forming: there's a storm brewing

noun
  1. a beverage produced by brewing, esp tea or beer: a strong brew

  2. an instance or time of brewing: last year's brew

  1. a mixture: an eclectic brew of mysticism and political discontent

Origin of brew

1
Old English brēowan; related to Old Norse brugga, Old Saxon breuwan, Old High German briuwan

Derived forms of brew

  • brewer, noun

British Dictionary definitions for brew (2 of 2)

brew2

/ (bruː) /


noun
  1. Northern English dialect a hill

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012