▪ I. malt, n.1
(mɒlt, -ɔː-)
Forms: 1 mealt, 6–8 (9 Sc.) mault, 6 maulte, 5–6 malte, (7 mawlt), 8–9 Sc. and north. dial. maut, 1– malt.
[Com. Teut.: OE. mealt = OS. malt (Du. mout), OHG. (MHG., mod.G.) malz, ON. (Sw., Da.) malt:—OTeut. *maltos- neut., whence Finnish mallas (from which the declension of the OTeut. word is inferred) and OSl. mlato; related to the adj. OTeut. *malto- or *maltu- (= Skr. mṛdu) represented in OHG., MHG. malt soft, ON. malt-r rotten; from the root of melt, smelt vbs.]
1. a. Barley or other grain prepared for brewing or distilling by steeping, germinating and kiln-drying, or by gelatinization, etc.
| a 700 Epinal Gloss. 136 Bratium, malt. 835 Charter in O.E. Texts 448, Ic bidde & bebeode swælc monn se ðæt min lond hebbe ðæt he ælce ᵹere aᵹefe ðem hiᵹum æt folcanstane l ambra maltes. 11.. Voc. in Wr.-Wülcker 548/44 Bracium, malt. 1375 Barbour Bruce v. 398 All the vittale..As quhet, flour, meill, and malt, In the vyne-sellar gert he bryng. 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. Prol. 197 For many mannus malt we mys wolde destruye. c 1386 Chaucer Sompn. T. 38 Yif hym a busshel whete, Malt, or Reye. 1455 Rolls of Parlt. V. 324/2 All Bruers..bought their malt in ye open marketts. 1535 Stewart Cron. Scot. III. 61 The starkest aill of malt that mycht be browin. 1589 Pappe w. Hatchet C ij, As honest a woman as euer burnt malt. 1605 Shakes. Lear iii. ii. 82 When Brewers marre their Malt with water. a 1618 Sylvester Tobacco Battered 748 Taverns, Tap-houses!..Most sinfully hath Mault been sunken heer In nappy Ale, and double-double-Beer. 1696–7 Act 8 & 9 Will. III, c. 22 (title) An Act for granting to His Majesty certain Duties upon Malt [etc.]. 1712 Addison Spect. No. 269 ¶8, I allow a double Quantity of Malt to my small Beer. 1725 Ramsay Gentle Sheph. ii. i, Yestreen I brew'd a bow of maut. 1818 Scott Hrt. Midl. xlii, They were a bad pack—steal'd meat and mault, and loot the carters magg the coals. 1871 Tyndall Fragm. Sci. (1879) II. xii. 256 The malt is crisp to the teeth, and decidedly sweeter to the taste then the original barley. 1885 H. Stopes Malt & Malting xii. 168 Gelatinised Malt. Until very recently malt was made, commercially, by germination solely, and almost exclusively from barley. Since the repeal of the Malt Duties numerous other methods of manufacture have been attempted,..and many other varieties of grain have been malted. |
b. with qualifying word, as
barley malt,
oat malt,
wheat malt;
brown, etc., malt (see
quot. 1839);
patent malt (see
quot. 1830).
blown malt (see
quot. 1876).
| 1532 Test. Ebor. (Surtees) VI. 34 A quarten barley mault. 1568 in W. H. Turner Select. Rec. Oxford (1880) 325 Ne any brewer..grinde their wheate malte in..any other mill. 1707 Mortimer Husb. xii. 278 In Kent, where they commonly Brew with one half Oat-malt, and the other half Barly-malt. 1743 Lond. & Country Brew. iii. (ed. 2) 179 It is a common Saying, that there is brought to London the worst of brown Malt, and the best of Pale. 1830 M. Donovan Dom. Econ. I. 87 The deep brown malt, now in use under the name of patent malt, is made by roasting malt..in the same manner as coffee is roasted, until it become blackish brown. 1839 Ure Dict. Arts 95 According to the colour and the degree of drying, malt is distributed into three sorts; pale, yellow, and brown... The black malt used by the porter brewer..is partially charred. 1876 Encycl. Brit. IV. 270/1 Brown or porter malt..is sometimes called ‘blown malt’, from its distended appearance. Ibid. 271/1 Americans are now making beer largely from maize meal and maize malt. |
c. extract of malt, a preparation of malt used as a food for invalids. See
malt extract in 5.
| 1872 W. Aitken Sci. & Pract. Med. (ed. 6) II. 913 The extract of malt..may be prepared by any pharmaceutical chemist. 1889 Syd. Soc. Lex. s.v., Extract of Malt..is prepared by digesting malt with water, straining, and evaporating the product to the consistency of thick honey. It contains diastase, and so acts as a digestive ferment, as well as being itself nutritious. |
2. Proverbs and
Phrases.
the malt is above the meal († rarely wheat, bere, water), said of a person under the influence of drink.
soft fire makes sweet malt, an admonition to be gentle or merciful.
| 1546 J. Heywood Prov. (1867) 5 Soft fire maketh sweete malte. Ibid. 25 Malt is aboue wheate with him, market men saie. 1601 Dent Pathw. Heaven 249 Soft and faire, sir... Soft fire maketh sweet mault. 1626 Breton Fantastickes B 3 Haruest. Malt is now aboue wheat with a number of mad people. 1670 Ray Prov. 295 [Scottish Proverbs.] The malt is above the beir. 1678 Ibid. (ed. 2) 87 Proverbiall Periphrases of one drunk... The malt is above the water. 1721 Kelly Scot. Prov. 320 The Malt's above the Meal with you. That is, you are drunk. 1816 Scott Old Mort. iv, When the malt begins to get aboon the meal..they are like to quarrel. 1858 M. Porteous Souter Johnny 10 He was a sturdy stalwart chiel,..Fond o' his maut aboon his meal. |
3. transf. Used for: Malt liquor. Now
usu. = malt whisky.
slang or
colloq.| 1718 Ramsay Christ's Kirk Gr. iii. xi, The bauld billy took his maut, And scour'd aff healths anew. 1823 ‘Jon Bee’ Slang, Malt, the chief ingredient of beer, has been used figuratively for the beer itself. ‘A shovel of malt’, is a pot of porter. 1828 Lytton Pelham xxiii, I rejected malt with the air of his majesty, and formed a violent affection for maraschino. 1861 Hughes Tom Brown at Oxf. i, I am naturally a thirsty soul, and cannot often resist the malt myself. 1861 Lever One of Them xxvi, ‘And will again, old boy’, cried Hawke, finishing off the other's malt. 1925, etc. [see ball n.4]. 1967 A. Diment Dolly Dolly Spy iv. 39 He..poured himself a big shot of the finest Malt. 1972 A. Ross London Assignment 32, I had put plenty of Malvern water into the malt, figuring to make it last. 1974 Times Lit. Suppl. 11 Jan. 38/5 Ross Wilson ignores the religious divisions of the trade (‘malts’ are the Catholic whiskies). 1975 Scottish Field Jan. 13/2 Hugh MacDiarmid, a whisky drinker for 60 years, expounds on the great malts. |
4. attrib. and
Comb. a. attrib. quasi-adj. in the sense ‘brewed’ or ‘distilled from malt’, as
malt-drink,
malt-spirits,
malt whisky.
| 1707 Mortimer Husb. xii. 276 To improve our English Liquors..in our Southern Parts where they have generally very bad Malt-drink. 1714 Mandeville Fab. Bees (1725) I. 118 A beggar may make himself as drunk with stale-beer or malt-spirits, as a lord with Burgundy. 1731 P. Shaw Ess. Artif. Philos. 97 Malt-Low-wines, prepared in the common way, are exceeding nauseous. 1839 Ure Dict. Arts 402 The distiller of malt whiskey calculates on obtaining two gallons of proof spirits from one bushel of malt. 1968 Scottish Field Nov. 56 (Advt.), Chivas Regal is blended with the softest Glenlivet malt whiskies. 1970 Simon & Howe Dict. Gastron. 389/1 About a hundred years ago it became the custom to blend straight malt whisky with neutral grain whisky. |
b. Simple
attrib., as
malt-bag,
malt-barn,
malt-barrow,
malt-cellar,
malt-chamber,
malt-corn,
malt-garner,
malt (tea-)loaf,
malt-market,
malt-meal,
malt-rake,
malt-shovel,
malt-skep,
† malt-spout,
malt-store,
malt-trade.
| 1415–16 Durham Acc. Rolls (Surtees) 612 Item pro factura de lez *maltbagges, 1s. 6d. |
| 1753 W. Maitland Hist. Edinb. ii. 151/1 *Malt-barns, Breweries [etc.]. |
| 1885 H. Stopes Malt & Malting xvi. 264 *Malt-barrows vary considerably in shape, manufacture, and use. |
| 1576 Reg. Privy Council Scot. Ser. i. II. 578 To sell thair malt..in thair *malt sellaris at hame. |
| 1676 in Taylor Wakefield Manor (1886) 109 Cum..brasio, anglice *malt chambers. |
| 1581 W. Stafford Exam. Compl. ii (1876) 46 It pleaseth vs..nothing at all, which buy most both breade-corne and *malt-corne for our peny. |
| 1453–4 Durham Acc. Rolls (Surtees) 634 [Operantibus] super reparacionem..de le Whetgarner et le *Maltgarner. |
| 1901 B. S. Rowntree Poverty viii. 288/2 *Malt loaf. 3d. 1969 E. Gébler Shall I eat you Now? 98 They drank tea and ate slices of a sticky malt tealoaf. |
| 1455 Rolls of Parlt. V. 324/2 Thus is ye *Malt markett lost. |
| 1622 Malynes Anc. Law-Merch. 231 Casting *Mault meale, or Beane meale vpon the same. |
| 1884 Knight Dict. Mech. Suppl., *Malt Rake, a hand tool used in stirring malt on the kiln floor. |
| 1688 R. Holme Armoury iii. 331/1 He beareth Gules, a..*Malt Shovel, Argent. |
| 1577 in Rogers Agric. & Prices (1866) III. 580 *Malt skep. |
| 1334–5 Durham Acc. Rolls (Surtees) 526 In 1 coreo equino empt. pro le *Maltspout in Bracina. |
| 1885 H. Stopes Malt & Malting xiii. 183 *Malt-stores, and granaries. |
| 1707 Mortimer Husb. xii. 276, I shall..for the Conveniency of the *Malt Trade, add a particular sort of Mill that [etc.]. |
c. objective, as
malt-making,
malt-roasting;
malt-carrier,
malt-seller. Also
malt-maker.
| 1708 Lond. Gaz. No. 4447/4 A *Malt-Carrier. |
| 1455 Rolls of Parlt. V. 324/2 People..nowe..for noon occupation of *Malt makynge be in grete idelnesse. |
| 1885 H. Stopes Malt & Malting xvii. 292 The monopoly of *malt-roasting, created by the numerous stringent Acts of Parliament. |
d. instrumental (sense 3), as
† malt-conceived,
malt-inspired,
malt-mad adjs.| 1579 G. Harvey Letter-bk. (Camden) 67 Sum newe devisid interlude, or sum *Maltconceived Comedye. |
| 1838 Rodger Poems (1897) 24 (E.D.D.) A set o' *maut-inspired whims That end in perfect smoke. |
| 1621 Fletcher Pilgrim iii. vi, Peace, thou heathenish Drunkard, Peace for shame. These English are so *Malt-mad;..when they have a Fruitful Year of Barly there, the whole Island's thus. |
5. Special comb.:
† malt-book, an account-book for the collections of malt-tax;
† malt boud = malt-worm 1;
malt-bree Sc., malt liquor;
malt-bruiser, a mill for bruising or crushing malt;
† malt-bug = malt-worm 2;
malt-crusher, a small crusher for testing samples of malt;
malt-distiller, one who distils spirits from malt; so
malt-distillery,
† (
a) the action or art of the malt-distiller (
obs.); (
b) a place where malt spirits are distilled;
malt-dryer (see
quot.);
malt extract, a saccharine and mucilaginous substance obtained from wort; also
= extract of malt (see 1 c);
malt-factor, a dealer in malt;
malt-floor, (
a) a floor upon which the malt is spread to germinate; (
b) (see
quot. 1858);
malt food, food composed of or combined with extract of malt;
† malt-gavel = malt shot;
malt grid,
grinder (see
quots.);
malt-kiln, a kiln in which the malt is dried after ‘steeping’ and ‘couching’;
malt liquor, liquor made from malt by fermentation as opposed to distillation, as ale, beer, stout, etc.;
malt-loft, the place where prepared malt is stored;
malt-lottery, a lottery promoted by authority of Parliament in 1697 with the malt duty as security;
† malt-mare (
cf. malt horse);
† malt master = maltster;
malt-mill, a mill for grinding or crushing malt;
† malt-money, money paid as a tax on the making of malt;
malt office, a malt house, malting;
† malt-officer, a collector of malt-tax;
malt-oil (see
quot.);
† malt-penny = malt money;
† malt pie jocular, drink, liquor;
malt plough, an implement for turning the malt when upon the malt-floor;
malt poultice (see
quot.);
malt-querns n. pl.,
dial. (see
quot. 1877);
malt roaster, a machine for roasting malt on a small scale;
malt roller (see
quot.);
malt sack, a sack of or for malt;
malt-screen, a utensil for screening or sifting malt;
malt shop U.S., a shop where malted milk is sold;
† malt shot, a duty paid for the privilege of making malt [
OE. mealtᵹescot (Wulfstan)];
malt-sieve = malt screen;
malt-silver, (
a)
= malt-money; (
b)
Sc. (see
quot. 1825–80);
† malt-stiller = malt distiller;
malt-sugar = maltose;
malt-surrogate, ‘any substitute..used in the manufacture of beer in place of a part of the malt’ (
Cent. Dict.);
malt-tails, the roots and shoots of dried malt,
= malt-comes;
malt-tap (see
quot.);
malt-tax, a tax on malt, imposed by Parliament in 1697, repealed and superseded by the beer-duty in 1880;
malt tea, ‘the liquid infusion of the mash in brewing’ (
Cent. Dict. 1890);
malt ticket, a ticket for a share in the malt-lottery; also
attrib.;
malt trader,
-turner (see
quots.);
malt vinegar, vinegar made from the fermentation of malt;
malt wash, the wash or wort obtained in distilling from grain. Also malt dust, malt horse, etc.
| 1710 J. Chamberlayne St. Gt. Brit. ii. iii. 505 Edward, chief Examiner of the Country Officers *Malt-Books. |
| c 1440 Promp. Parv. 323/2 *Malte bowde (or wevyl), gurgulio. |
| 1780 W. Forbes Dominie 6 Keep very far frae Bacchus' reach, He drowned a' my cares to preach Wi' his *ma't⁓bree. |
| 1796 Encycl. Brit. (ed. 3) X. 490/1 *Malt-bruiser, or Bruising-mill. |
| 1577 Harrison England i. ii. xi. 85 b/2 It is incredible to say how our *Maultbugges lug at this liquor. |
| 1885 H. Stopes Malt & Malting xvii. 284 Small *malt-crushers are very generally used. |
| 1753 Scots Mag. Feb. 96/2 The *malt-distillers advertised, Feb. 19, that they would not receive or pay them [counterfeit halfpence] for the future. |
| 1753 Chambers Cycl. Supp., *Malt Distillery... The art is to convert fermented Malt liquors into a clear inflammable spirit. 1839 Ure Dict. Arts 401 The..produce of malt distilleries. |
| 1875 Knight Dict. Mech., *Malt-dryer, a device to hasten the drying of malt by artificial heat. |
| 1839 Ure Dict. Arts 100 The specific gravities of solutions of *malt extract. 1897 Roberts Digest. & Diet 223 Malt extracts are essentially infusions of malt concentrated by evaporation to the consistency of a thick treacle. |
| 1704 Lond. Gaz. No. 4035/4 Richard Haley and Samuel Wallis, *Mault-factors. |
| 1707 Mortimer Husb. xii. 259 Empty the Corn from the Cistern into the *Malt-floor. 1858 Simmonds Dict. Trade, Malt-floor, a perforated floor in the..malt-kiln, through which the heat ascends from the furnace below, and dries the barley laid upon it. |
| 1896 Allbutt's Syst. Med. I. 403 If milk be rejected, *malt food is generally available. |
| 1{ddd} Custumal Mepham, Kent in Somner Treat. Gavelkind (1660) 27 De xxj. sum. iiij. bush. de *Maltgavel. |
| 1889 Barnard Noted Breweries I. 62 The malt receiving room..contains two *malt grids..with strong wire screens at the bottom, through which the malt passes to the mills in the room below. |
| 1858 Simmonds Dict. Trade, *Malt-grinder, a machine for crushing or cutting malted barley. |
| 1538 Layton in Ellis Orig. Lett. Ser. iii. III. 212 Therbe here..many *malte kylnes. 1855 Macaulay Hist. Eng. xiii. III. 324 Four or five hundred houses, two churches, twelve maltkilns, crowded close together. |
| 1693 Lond. Gaz. No. 2868/2 An Additional Excise upon *Malt Liquors. 1786 Cowper Let. to Unwin Wks. (ed. Southey) VI. 5 Government is too much interested in the consumption of malt-liquor to reduce the number of venders. 1897 Allbutt's Syst. Med. II. 228 To those in the habit of drinking malt liquors, stout and bitter ale may be given. |
| 1682 True Protest. Mercury No. 162. 2/1 *Mault-Lofts, Hop-Lofts [etc.]. 1839 Ure Dict. Arts 110 The malt for the supply of the brewery is stored in vast granaries or malt-lofts. |
| 1697 Lond. Gaz. No. 3316/4 Lost.., two 10l. Tickets belonging to the *Malt Lottery. |
| 1594 Lyly Moth. Bomb. iv. ii, It was a verie good horse... If one ranne him, he woulde simper and mump, as though he had gone a wooing to a *maltmare at Rochester. |
| 1612 T. Adams White Devil (1613) 49 The markets are hoysed vp, if the poore cannot reach the price, the *Mault-master wil. |
| 1607 Norden Surv. Dial. iii. 108 Any customarie Water-mill,..Griest-mill, *Mault-mill..or any other kind of mill. 1707 Lond. Gaz. No. 4293/3 Malt-Milne, and all Conveniencies fit for a Common Brewer. |
| 1600 in N. & Q. 6th Ser. (1882) V. 88/2 Here followeth a general Rate of the *Malte Money due to the Church. |
| 1800 Hull Advertiser 12 July 2/3 A..brick and tiled *Malt-office..capable of steeping and drying at once fourteen quarters. |
| 1737 J. Chamberlayne St. Gt. Brit. (ed. 33) ii. 84 The Excise and *Malt-Officers Country Books. |
| 1753 Chambers Cycl. Supp. s.v. Malt, The odious taste of the *Malt oil will be distinguished. |
| 1{ddd} Rental Eastry Manor, Kent in Somner Treat. Gavelkind (1660) 27 *Malt-peny. |
| 1600 Heywood 1st Pt. Edw. IV (1613) B j b, See how S. Katherines smokes, wipe slaues your eies, And whet your stomackes for the good *mault pies. |
| 1885 H. Stopes Malt & Malting xvii. 289 Several forms of *malt-ploughs are known and used. |
| 1856 Mayne Expos. Lex., *Malt Poultice, common name for the Cataplasma bynes. |
| 1586 Spenser Will in Grosart S.'s Wks. I. p. xvii, I give and bequethe unto Johon Spenser..one payre of *malt wyrnes. 1877 N.W. Linc. Gloss., Malt-quearns, (1) stones for grinding malt; (2) a mill with steel crushers for the same purpose. |
| 1858 Simmonds Dict. Trade, *Malt roaster Maker, a manufacturer of machines for roasting barley on a small scale. 1885 H. Stopes Malt & Malting xii. 164 Every brewer in Germany has his own malt-roaster. |
| 1839 Ure Dict. Arts 113 The *malt-rollers, or machines for bruising the grains of the malt. |
| 1530 Palsgr. 601/2 She layde upon him lyke a *maulte sacke. 1885 H. Stopes Malt & Malting xvii. 293 Malt- and barley-sacks usually hold one comb or four bushels. |
| Ibid. xvii. 295 *Malt-screens for separation of all combes and other matters, and also for grading. |
| 1943 D. Baker Trio ii. 88 She was out of the gate and into a little section of bright lights—college clothes,..*malt shops. 1949 Time 26 Sept. 25/1 The word was relayed through the drive-ins, malt shops and garages. |
| 1{ddd} Rental Eastry Manor, Kent in Somner Treat. Gavelkind (1660) 27 De *Malt-shot termino circumcisionis Domini xxd. |
| 1388–9 Abingdon Rolls (Camden) 57, ij *maltsyues. |
| a 1472 in Cartul. Walt. de Norvico MS., White Kennett MS. note in Cowell's Interpr. 1701 (Bodl. copy) s.v. Molsilver, Dabit pro..*Maltsilver ad festum Nat. Domini iii d ob. 1825–80 Jamieson, Maut-siller. 1. Literally, money for malt. 2. Most frequently used in a figurative sense; as, ‘That's ill paid maut-siller’; a proverbial phrase signifying, that a benefit has been ill requited. |
| 1731 P. Shaw Ess. Artif. Philos. 99 Which should encourage the *Malt-Stiller to be careful and intelligent in this business. |
| 1862 Miller Elem. Chem. III. 83 *Malt sugar (C12H12O12). 1900 R. Hutchison Food 263 The remaining sugars of this group are malt-sugar, or maltose, and milk-sugar, or lactose. |
| 1743 Lond. & Country Brew. iii. (ed. 2) 179 By that and the Help of the *Malt Tails, he [the Maltster] fills the Bushel with a great deal of Show and little good Malt. |
| 1854 A. E. Baker Northampt. Gloss., *Malt-tap, the wicker strainer that is put in the mash-vat, to prevent the grains passing through the tap. |
| 1711 Let. to Sacheverel 11 The levying the Land-Tax and *Malt-Tax. 1840 Thackeray Jolly Jack iv, When village Solons cursed the Lords, And called the malt-tax sinful. |
| 1697 Lond. Gaz. No. 3318/4 Lost or mislaid..four *Malt-Tickets. |
| 1880 Act 43 & 44 Vict. c. 20 Interpretation of terms. ‘*Malt trader’ means and includes a maltster or maker of malt, a dealer in malt, a roaster of malt, a brewer of beer for sale, and a vinegar maker. |
| 1884 Knight Dict. Mech. Suppl., *Malt Turner, a mechanical arrangement for turning the malt while being heated in the kiln. |
| 1858 Simmonds Dict. Trade, *Malt-vinegar. |
| 1729 G. Smith Fermentation 27 The practice of fermenting all Molosses and *Malt⁓wash, without any previous boiling. 1839 Ure Dict. Arts 91 A peculiar volatile oil of a concrete nature, which is obtained during the process of distilling fermented malt wash. |
▪ II. malt, v. (
mɒlt,
-ɔː-)
[f. malt n.1] 1. trans. To convert (grain) into malt. Also
absol.| c 1440 Promp. Parv. 324/1 Maltyn, or make malt, brasio. 1608 Nottingham Rec. IV. 289 Order to be gyven to euerie maltster..to forbeare buyinge of barley to mawlt. 1616 Surfl. & Markh. Country Farm 559 These Oates being maulted, as you mault Barley, make a verie good mault. 1636 in Buccleuch MSS. (Hist. MSS. Comm.) I. 275 Sundry abuses by them in buying barley..and in malting it at unseasonable times. 1753 Chambers Cycl. Supp. s.v., The whole grain [of maize] will not this way be malted or rendered tender or floury. 1889 Barnard Noted Breweries I. 56 [These brewers] malt every week 7,600 quarters..of barley. |
b. intr. To admit of being malted.
| 1766 Compl. Farmer s.v., Old barley, mixed with that of the last harvest, does not malt well. 1870 Yeats Nat. Hist. Comm. 48 Scotch barley..does not malt well. |
2. transf. (
pass. and intr.). Of seeds: To come to the condition of malt owing to germination being checked by drought.
| 1733 Tull Horse-Hoeing Husb. xiv. 166 If they [St. Foin seeds] are not cover'd, they will be Malted. Note. We say it is Malted when it lies above Ground, and sends out its Root, which is killed by the Air. 1763 Museum Rust. (ed. 2) I. 210 Turnep-seed..if it is not covered as soon as sown..will sprout prematurely, malt, or mould. 1861 Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. XXII. ii. 418 After the seeds have become saturated with moisture, the dry weather returns, and they become ‘malted’. 1873 J. T. Moggridge Ants & Spiders i. 26 The seeds are thus in effect malted, the starch being changed into sugar. |
3. trans. To make (liquor) with malt.
| 1605 Camden Rem. 235 A man of worship, whose beere was better hopped than maulted. 1621 J. Taylor (Water P.) Taylors Goose Wks. (1630) i. 105/1 She is..better two dayes salted For then she'll try if Ale or Beere be malted. |
4. intr. To drink malt liquor.
vulgar.
| 1813 P. Hawker Diary (1893) I. 68 We..stopped to malt at all the hedge alehouses. 1825 New Monthly Mag. XIV. 180 Lord U— too declares he saw her malting the same evening. 1835 Marryat Jac. Faithf. xxv, ‘Well, I malts’, said Tom, reaching a pot of porter, and taking a long pull. 1840 Hood Kilmansegg, Birth xxi, She drank nothing lower than Cura{cced}oa,..And, on principle, never malted. |
▪ III. malt obs. pa. tense of
melt v.