n. [ AS. ealu, akin to Icel., Sw., and Dan. öl, Lith. alus a kind of beer, OSlav. olŭ 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 ]

☞ 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 ]

adv. & a. [ Pref. a- + leak. ] In a leaking condition. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. aleatorius, fr. alea chance, die. ] (Law) Depending on some uncertain contingency; as, an aleatory contract. Bouvier. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A bench in or before an alehouse. Bunyan. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. alebery, alebrey; ale + bre broth, fr. AS. brīw pottage. ] A beverage, formerly made by boiling ale with spice, sugar, and sops of bread. [ 1913 Webster ]

Their aleberries, caudles, possets. Beau. & Fl. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Gr. 'a priv. + &unr_; yelk. ] (Biol.) Applied to those ova which segment uniformly, and which have little or no food yelk embedded in their protoplasm. Balfour. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ /Ale + con, OE. cunnen to test, AS. cunnian to test. See Con. ] Orig., an officer appointed to look to the goodness of ale and beer; also, one of the officers chosen by the liverymen of London to inspect the measures used in public houses. But the office is a sinecure. [ Also called aletaster. ] [ Eng. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Ale + L. costus an aromatic plant: cf. Costmary. ] (Bot.) The plant costmary, which was formerly much used for flavoring ale. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ NL., fr. Gr. &unr_; a cock. ] (Zool.) A group of birds including the common fowl and the pheasants. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. &unr_; cock + &unr_; fight. ] Cockfighting. [ 1913 Webster ]