brew

[ broo ]

/ bru /

|||

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR brew ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object)

to make (beer, ale, etc.) by steeping, boiling, and fermenting malt and hops.

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

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.

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

verb (used without object)

to make a fermented alcoholic malt beverage, as beer or ale.

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

noun

a quantity brewed in a single process.

a particular brewing or variety of malt liquor.

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

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

Informal.

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

Nearby words

breviloquent, brevipennate, brevirostrate, brevity, brevity is the soul of wit, brew, brew up, brewage, brewer, brewer's blackbird, brewer's grain

Idioms

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

Origin of brew

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

SYNONYMS FOR brew

4 concoct, scheme, plot, devise, hatch, cook up.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR brew ON THESAURUS.COM

Related forms

brew·er, nounmis·brew, verb (used with object)re·brew, verbun·brewed, adjective

un·der·brew, verb (used with object)well-brewed, adjective

Can be confusedbrewed broodbrews bruise

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for brew

Industrial production and technology have permanently altered the way we brew our inebriating ethanol.
‘Drunk History’: A Booze Cruise of Red, White, and Blood|Rich Goldstein|July 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Maier arrived in the coastal town of Newport, Oregon, just in time for the first brew.
The Hop-Crazy Master Brewer|Nina Strochlic|June 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And once or twice a week, I will brew three gallon batches of iced tea, and put it in refrigeration.
How I Write: Michael Connelly|Noah Charney|January 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And the bit of divine genius to name the brew Mmmhops, displaying a remarkable sense of humor—not to mention self-awareness?
Hanson Got Me Drunk on Their New Beer, Mmmhops (Really)|Kevin Fallon|September 18, 2013|DAILY BEAST

Ghost Shark hides inside the water used to brew a pot of coffee.
The Craziest Moments From ‘Ghost Shark’ (VIDEO)|Kevin Fallon|August 23, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Avoid Vienna, says Huneker, if you are one who understands and venerates the great Bohemian brew!
A Book of Prefaces|H. L. Mencken
I wish you would tell me what it is made of, and how you brew it; for I have observed you are very strict and secret about it.
Septimius Felton|Nathaniel Hawthorne
The fire was soon burning splendidly, and the giant commenced to brew the ale, drinking it off as fast as it was made.
Boys and Girls Bookshelf (Vol 2 of 17)|Various
She turned reluctantly and descended to the kitchen to brew the desired tea.
Out of the Ashes|Ethel Watts Mumford
Jeff dipped water, prodded his fire and put fresh coffee on to brew.
Trading Jeff and his Dog|James Arthur Kjelgaard

British Dictionary definitions for brew (1 of 2)

brew

/ (bruː) /

verb

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

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

(tr) to devise or planto brew a plot

(intr) to be in the process of being brewedthe tea was brewing in the pot

(intr) to be impending or formingthere's a storm brewing

noun

a beverage produced by brewing, esp tea or beera strong brew

an instance or time of brewinglast year's brew

a mixturean eclectic brew of mysticism and political discontent

Word Origin for brew

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

British Dictionary definitions for brew (2 of 2)

brew

/ (bruː) /

noun

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

Word Origin and History for brew (1 of 2)

brew

Old English breowan "to brew" (class II strong verb, past tense breaw, past participle browen), from Proto-Germanic *breuwan "to brew" (cf. Old Norse brugga, Old Frisian briuwa, Middle Dutch brouwen, Old High German briuwan, German brauen "to brew"), from PIE root *bhreue- "to bubble, boil, effervesce" (cf. Sanskrit bhurnih "violent, passionate," Greek phrear "well, spring, cistern," Latin fervere "to boil, foam," Thracian Greek brytos "fermented liquor made from barley," Russian bruja "current," Old Irish bruth "heat;" Old English beorma "yeast;" Old High German brato "roast meat"), the original sense thus being "make a drink by boiling." Related: Brewed; brewing.

Word Origin and History for brew (1 of 2)

brew

c.1500, "a brewed beverage," from brew (v.).

brew

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

noun

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Idioms

Origin of brew

Examples from the Web for brew

British Dictionary definitions for brew (1 of 2)

brew

verb

noun

Word Origin for brew

British Dictionary definitions for brew (2 of 2)

brew

noun

Word Origin and History for brew (1 of 2)

brew

Word Origin and History for brew (1 of 2)

brew