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Synonyms

beer

1 American  
[beer] / bɪər /

noun

  1. an alcoholic beverage made by brewing and fermentation from cereals, usually malted barley, and flavored with hops and the like for a slightly bitter taste.

  2. any of various beverages, whether alcoholic or not, made from roots, molasses or sugar, yeast, etc..

    root beer; ginger beer.

  3. an individual serving of beer; a glass, can, or bottle of beer.

    We'll have three beers.


Beer 2 American  
[beer] / bɪər /

noun

  1. Thomas, 1889–1940, U.S. author.


beer British  
/ bɪə /

noun

  1. an alcoholic drink brewed from malt, sugar, hops, and water and fermented with yeast Compare ale

  2. a slightly fermented drink made from the roots or leaves of certain plants

    ginger beer

    nettle beer

  3. (modifier) relating to or used in the drinking of beer

    beer glass

    beer mat

  4. (modifier) in which beer is drunk, esp (of licensed premises) having a licence to sell beer

    beer house

    beer cellar

    beer garden

"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

Etymology

Origin of beer

First recorded before 1000; Middle English bere, Old English bēor; cognate with Old Saxon, Old High German bior, Middle Low German, Middle Dutch bēr, Dutch, German Bier ( Old Norse bjōrr, probably from Old English); further origin uncertain

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Going that long is quite a feat even in a country where painful political negotiations are almost as much a part of the national culture as beer, chocolate and chips.

From Barron's

As fate would have it, Spencer and Ponting would end up in the same bar that evening, and they settled their difference over a beer.

From BBC

Car buyers continued to shrug off higher prices earlier this year even as they pared back shopping for everything from dishwashers to beer.

From The Wall Street Journal

For many people, a glass of beer feels incomplete without a thick, creamy layer of foam resting on top.

From Science Daily

The celebrations also featured custom-made beer cans printed with the image used to announce their engagement.

From BBC