From WordNet (r) 2.0 (August 2003) [wn]:
barley
n 1: a grain of barley [syn: barleycorn]
2: cultivated since prehistoric times; grown for forage and
grain
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Barley \Bar"ley\, n. [OE. barli, barlich, AS. b[ae]rlic; bere
barley + l[imac]c (which is prob. the same as E. like, adj.,
or perh. a form of AS. le[=a]c leek). AS. bere is akin to
Icel, barr barley, Goth. barizeins made of barley, L. far
spelt; cf. W. barlys barley, bara bread. ?92. Cf. Farina,
6th Bear.] (Bot.)
A valuable grain, of the family of grasses, genus Hordeum,
used for food, and for making malt, from which are prepared
beer, ale, and whisky.
[1913 Webster]
Barley bird (Zool.), the siskin.
Barley sugar, sugar boiled till it is brittle (formerly
with a decoction of barley) and candied.
Barley water, a decoction of barley, used in medicine, as a
nutritive and demulcent.
[1913 Webster] Barleybrake