n. [ OE. berme, AS. beorma; akin to Sw. bärma, G. bärme, and prob. L. fermentum. √93. ] Foam rising upon beer, or other malt liquors, when fermenting, and used as leaven in making bread and in brewing; yeast. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. bearm, berm, barm, AS. bearm; akin to E. bear to support. ] The lap or bosom. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A girl or woman who attends the customers of a bar, as in a tavern or beershop. [ 1913 Webster ]

A bouncing barmaid. W. Irving. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Berg + master: cf. G. Bergmeister. ] Formerly, a local judge among miners; now, an officer of the barmote. [ Eng. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Apron. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ See Barmecide. ] Unreal; illusory. “A sort of Barmecidal feast.” Hood. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ A prince of the Barmecide family, who, as related in the “Arabian Nights' Tales”, pretended to set before the hungry Shacabac food, on which the latter pretended to feast. ] One who proffers some illusory advantage or benefit. Also used as an adj.: Barmecidal. “A Barmecide feast.” Dickens. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Berg + mote meeting. ] A court held in Derbyshire, in England, for deciding controversies between miners. Blount. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Full of barm or froth; in a ferment. “Barmy beer.” Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]