Ale \Ale\ ([=a]l), n. [AS. ealu, akin to Icel., Sw., and Dan.
["o]l, Lith. alus a kind of beer, OSlav. ol[u^] beer. Cf. Ir.
ol drink, drinking.]
1. An intoxicating liquor made from an infusion of malt by
fermentation and the addition of a bitter, usually hops.
[1913 Webster]
Note: The word ale, in England and the United States, usually designates a heavier kind of fermented liquor, and the word beer a lighter kind. The word beer is also in common use as the generic name for all malt liquors. [1913 Webster]
2. A festival in English country places, so called from the liquor drunk. "At wakes and ales." --B. Jonson."On ember eves and holy ales." --Shak. [1913 Webster]
Beer \Beer\, n. [OE. beor, ber, AS. be['o]r; akin to Fries.
biar, Icel. bj?rr, OHG. bior, D. & G. bier, and possibly E.
brew. [root]93, See Brew.]
1. A fermented liquor made from any malted grain, but
commonly from barley malt, with hops or some other
substance to impart a bitter flavor.
[1913 Webster]
Note: Beer has different names, as small beer, ale, porter, brown stout, lager beer, according to its strength, or other qualities. See Ale. [1913 Webster]
2. A fermented extract of the roots and other parts of various plants, as spruce, ginger, sassafras, etc. [1913 Webster]
Small beer, weak beer; (fig.) insignificant matters. "To suckle fools, and chronicle small beer." --Shak. [1913 Webster]
ale
noun1: a general name for beer made with a top fermenting yeast; in some of the United States an ale is (by law) a brew of more than 4% alcohol by volume
ALE Address Lifetime Expectation (org., IETF, IP)
ALE Application Link Enabling (R/3, SAP)
ALE Atlanta Linux Enthusiasts (org., Linux, user group)
ALE Atomic Layer Epitaxy (IC)
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