n. & v.
--n.
1. barley or other grain that is steeped, germinated, and dried, esp. for brewing or distilling and vinegar-making.
2 colloq. malt whisky; malt liquor.
--v.
1. tr. convert (grain) into malt.
2 intr. (of seeds) become malt when germination is checked by drought.
Phrases and idioms:
malted milk
1. a hot drink made from dried milk and a malt preparation.
2 the powdered mixture from which this is made. malt-house a building used for preparing and storing malt. malt liquor alcoholic liquor made from malt by fermentation, not distillation, e.g. beer, stout. malt whisky whisky made from malted barley.
Etymology: OE m(e)alt f. Gmc, rel. to MELT