a. An alcoholic liquor obtained by the fermentation of malt (or other saccharine substance), flavoured with hops or other aromatic bitters. Formerly distinguished from ale by being hopped; but now the generic name of malt liquor, including ale and porter, though sometimes restricted and used in contradistinction to ale. The word occurs in Old English, but its use is rare, except in poetry, and it seems to have become common only in the 16th cent. as the name of hopped malt liquor. Not in Chaucer or Piers Ploughman. See further under ale n.

b. buttered beer: see buttered beer n. at buttered adj. Compounds. to be in beer: to be under the effects of beer, to be more or less intoxicated; on the beer: on a bout of drinking (cf. on the booze at booze n. 2b); beer and skittles: see skittle n. 1b; small beer: see as main entry; to think small beer of: see small beer n. 2c.

beer-bibber n.

beer-brewer n.

beer-brewing n.

beer-buttering n.

beer-drinker n.

beer-drinking n.

beer-monger n.

beer-swilling n.

beer-bemuddled adj.

beer-poisoning n.

beer-broth n.

beer-posset n.

beer-yeast n.

beer-barrel n.

beer-bottle n.

beer-cellar n.

beer-gallon n.

beer-mat n.

beer-shop n.

beer-vat n.