2. Formerly, a measure of length, equal to the average length
of a grain of barley; the third part of an inch.
[1913 Webster]
{John Barleycorn}, a humorous personification of barley as the source of malt liquor or whisky. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.
Barleycorn — may mean:* a grain of barley * English unit of length equal to 1/3 inch * John Barleycorn, an ancient folksong * William N Barleycorn, a Primitive Methodist missionary in Fernando Po * John Barleycorn (novel) by writer Jack London … Wikipedia
barleycorn — late 14c., from BARLEY (Cf. barley) + CORN (Cf. corn) (n.). Perhaps to distinguish the barley plant or the grain from its products. In Britain and U.S., the grain is used mainly to prepare liquor, hence personification as John Barleycorn (1620)… … Etymology dictionary
Barleycorn — John see JOHN BARLEYCORN … English World dictionary
barleycorn — [bär′lēkôrn΄] n. [ME barli corn] 1. barley or a grain of barley 2. an old unit of linear measure equal to 1/ 3 inch … English World dictionary
Barleycorn — /bahr lee kawrn /, n. John. See John Barleycorn. * * * … Universalium
Barleycorn — Bar•ley•corn [[t]ˈbɑr liˌkɔrn[/t]] n. John John Barleycorn … From formal English to slang
barleycorn — /ˈbalikɔn/ (say bahleekawn) noun 1. barley, or a grain of barley. 2. Obsolete a measure equal to one third of an inch. 3. See John Barleycorn …
barleycorn — an old English unit of length equal to 1/3 inch or about 8.5 millimeters. The custom of using seeds as units of length or weight is very common in farming societies. In Anglo Saxon England, where barley was a basic crop, barleycorns played… … Dictionary of units of measurement
barleycorn — noun Date: 1500 1. a grain of barley 2. an old unit of length equal to a third of an inch … New Collegiate Dictionary
barleycorn — /bahr lee kawrn /, n. 1. barley. 2. a grain of barley. 3. a measure equal to 1/3 in. (8.5 mm). 4. Also, barley corn. a type of basket weave that produces an allover geometric pattern. [1375 1425; late ME. See BARLEY1, CORN1] * * * … Universalium
