verb
brew
broo
verb
1
To make a drink such as tea, coffee, or beer by steeping or fermenting ingredients in hot water.
"She brewed a fresh pot of coffee."
"The monastery has brewed its own beer for centuries."
2
To be building up or developing, often used of trouble, storms, or arguments.
"You could tell a storm was brewing."
"Trouble had been brewing between the two departments for weeks."
noun
1
A drink made by brewing, or informally, a beer.
"Fancy a brew?"
"The pub serves several local brews on tap."
How to Use Brew
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo make tea, coffee, or beer, or to describe tension/trouble building up.
UK vs US
In British informal speech, "a brew" often just means a cup of tea.
Common pairings
brew coffee
brew beer
trouble is brewing
a storm brewing
Word Forms
brewed past tense, brews plural, brews plural, Brews plural, brews singular
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She _____ a fresh pot of coffee.
Etymology
From Old English brēowan, an ancient Germanic word for boiling or fermenting liquid, related distantly to the English word "burn".