brew

UK:**UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ˈbruː/US:USA pronunciation: IPA and respellingUSA pronunciation: IPA/bru/ ,USA pronunciation: respelling(bro̅o̅)


WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
brew /bru/USA pronunciation   v. 
  1. Wineto make (beer, etc.) by boiling and fermenting the ingredients: [~ + object]Beer is brewed from malt and hops.[no object]The beer is brewing in these vats.
  2. Foodto prepare (tea, etc.) with boiling water: [~ + object]She brewed a pot of tea for us.[no object]Let the tea brew for five minutes.
  3. [~ + object] to plan or think up: They just want to brew mischief.
  4. Wine to start to develop;
    begin:[no object;usually: be + ~-ing]A storm is brewing in the Atlantic.

n. 
  1. an amount of a beverage brewed in a single process:[uncountable]this year's brew.
  2. a liquid mixture, esp. a liquid producedfrom a mixture of unusual ingredients: [countable]a witches' brew of lemon juice, honey, and whiskey.[uncountable]Make some witches' brew for your cold.
  3. Wine, Informal TermsInformal.
    • [uncountable] beer or ale:a party with plenty of brew.
    • [countable] a serving of beer or ale:Ask for a couple of brews.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
brew  (bro̅o̅),USA pronunciation v.t. 
  1. Wineto make (beer, ale, etc.) by steeping, boiling, and fermenting malt and hops.
  2. Foodto make or prepare (a beverage, as tea) by mixing, steeping, soaking, or boiling a solid in water.
  3. Foodto concoct, mix, or cook (a beverage or food, esp. one containing unmeasured or unusual ingredients):She brewed a pot of soup from the leftovers.
  4. to contrive, plan, or bring about:to brew mischief.

v.i. 
  1. Wineto make a fermented alcoholic malt beverage, as beer or ale.
  2. Foodto boil, steep, soak, or cook:Wait until the tea brews.
  3. Idioms be brewing, to be forming or gathering;
    be in preparation:Trouble was brewing.

n. 
  1. a quantity brewed in a single process.
  2. Winea particular brewing or variety of malt liquor.
  3. Fooda hot beverage made by cooking a solid in water, esp. tea or coffee.
  4. any concoction, esp. a liquid produced by a mixture of unusual ingredients:a witches' brew.
  5. Wine, Informal Terms[Informal.]
    • beer or ale.
    • an individual serving of beer or ale:Let's have a few brews after the game.
  • bef. 900; Middle English brewen, Old English brēowan; akin to Dutch brouwen, German brauen, Old Norse brugga
brew′er, n. 
    4. concoct, scheme, plot, devise, hatch, cook up.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
brew /bruː/ vb
  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
  3. (transitive) to devise or plan: to brew a plot
  4. (intransitive) to be in the process of being brewed
  5. (intransitive) to be impending or forming: there's a storm brewing
 n
  1. a beverage produced by brewing, esp tea or beer
  2. an instance or time of brewing: last year's brew
  3. a mixture
Etymology: Old English brēowan; related to Old Norse brugga, Old Saxon breuwan, Old High German briuwanˈbrewer n
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'brew' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
ale - brasserie - broth - home-brew - lager - lusty - mash - bhang - Biblical Hebrew - brassage - brewage - Brewer's blackbird - Brewer's mole - brewer's yeast - brewery - brewhouse - brewing - brewmaster - brewski - Brewster chair - Brewster's law - Early Hebrew - Hebrew calendar - Hebrew Scriptures - Modern Hebrew - New Hebrew - non-Hebrew - percolate - plot - potion - pre-Hebrew - witches' brew - stout
Collocations: brew [coffee, tea, beer], brew coffee [in a French press, in a cafetiere], brew tea [in a teapot, over an open flame], more...

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