brew
gb/bɹˈu/ us/bɹˈu/
A2
English
~ 9100
főz, sört főz, készülődik, érlelődik, egy csésze tea vagy kávé, forró ital, sör, főzet, sörfajta, keverék, egyveleg, ötvözet, sörfőzés, sörgyártás
VERB
A2
1
főz
A1
Usage pattern:
to brew [a drink] / to brew [someone] [a drink]
I usually brew a pot of coffee as soon as I wake up.
Amint felébredek, általában rögtön főzök egy kanna kávét.
She brewed some mint tea to help with his sore throat.
Főzött neki egy kis mentateát, hogy enyhítse a torokfájását.
Could you brew me a strong cup of tea, please?
Let the tea brew for five minutes before you drink it.
They sat on the balcony, brewing coffee on a small gas stove.
Learner examples
I brew coffee every morning.
Minden reggel kávét főzök.
He brewed a cup of tea for his mother.
Főzött az édesanyjának egy csésze teát.
Please wait while the tea brews.
She likes to brew her own herbal tea at home.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say *"boil tea"* or *"cook coffee"*. Use **brew tea/coffee** for the process of making the drink, and **boil water** for heating the water only.
Meaning
make tea, coffee, or similar
Collocations
brew coffee
|brew tea
|freshly brewed coffee
|brew [someone] a cup of tea
|let it brew
Synonyms
make (Very general word for preparing food or drink; does not specifically suggest using hot water and letting it stand.)
Antonyms
drink (Focuses on consuming the drink rather than preparing it; opposite stage of the same process.)
Themes
daily life
|food
|food_drink
|daily_life
Definition
To make a hot drink like tea or coffee by putting it in hot water and waiting for the taste to come out.
To prepare a hot drink such as tea or coffee by pouring hot water over it and letting it stand so that the flavor develops.
VERB
B2
2
sört főz
B1
Usage pattern:
to brew [beer] / to brew [a type of beer]
This small brewery brews a different seasonal beer every month.
Ez a kis sörfőzde minden hónapban más szezonális sört főz.
They started brewing their own beer in the garage as a hobby.
Hobbiból elkezdtek a garázsban saját sört főzni.
The company has been brewing lager on this site for over a century.
He moved to Belgium to learn how to brew traditional Trappist ales.
Local pubs often serve beer brewed just a few miles away.
Learner examples
My uncle brews beer at home.
A nagybátyám otthon főz sört.
The factory brews thousands of bottles of beer every day.
A gyárban naponta több ezer palacknyi sört főznek.
They want to brew a special beer for the festival.
She learned how to brew her own beer from an online course.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse **brew** with **distill**. **Brew** is used for beer (and sometimes other fermented drinks), while **distill** is used for strong spirits like whisky or vodka.
Meaning
produce beer by brewing
Collocations
brew beer
|brew their own beer
|locally brewed
|craft-brewed ale
|microbrewery brews
Synonyms
produce (General term for making something; does not specifically refer to the brewing process.)
Antonyms
consume (Refers to drinking or using up the beer, the opposite stage of producing it.)
Themes
food
|business
|food_drink
|work
Definition
To make beer using grain, water, and yeast in a special process.
To make beer by boiling malt and other ingredients and then fermenting the liquid, often as a commercial or specialist activity.
VERB
B2
3
készülődik
B2
érlelődik
C1
Usage pattern:
[trouble/storm/conflict] is brewing
You could feel that trouble was brewing in the office after the announcement.
Érezni lehetett, hogy a bejelentés után baj készülődik az irodában.
A political crisis has been brewing for months in the region.
A térségben hónapok óta politikai válság érlelődik.
Dark clouds gathered over the bay, and we knew a storm was brewing.
Tensions are brewing between the two departments over the budget cuts.
There’s resentment brewing among younger employees about the lack of promotions.
Learner examples
I feel that trouble is brewing at work.
Úgy érzem, baj készülődik a munkahelyemen.
A big argument was brewing in the family.
Nagy veszekedés volt készülőben a családban.
Dark clouds show that a storm is brewing.
Anger was brewing in the crowd.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes try to use **brew** with neutral events, for example *"a concert is brewing"*. This sense is usually used for negative or serious things like **trouble, crisis, conflict, storm**, not for normal or happy events.
Meaning
develop and approach (problems, storms)
Collocations
trouble is brewing
|a storm is brewing
|tensions are brewing
|a crisis is brewing
|unrest is brewing
Synonyms
develop (Neutral word for growing or changing; **brew** suggests something hidden that will soon break out.)
Antonyms
settle (Describes a situation becoming calm or less tense, the opposite of problems brewing.)
Themes
emotions
|weather
|society
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To slowly grow or form and soon cause a problem or big change, often used for trouble or bad situations.
To slowly develop and move toward a point where it will have a noticeable or serious effect, especially of trouble, conflict, or a storm.
NOUN
B1
4
Usage pattern:
a brew / make [someone] a brew
Sit down and I’ll make you a quick brew.
Ülj le, és gyorsan főzök neked egy teát.
He brought a steaming brew to her desk.
Egy gőzölgő csésze teát vitt az íróasztalához.
We had a hot brew in the kitchen before heading out again.
Nothing beats a strong brew on a cold morning.
She offered the repair worker a brew while he fixed the boiler.
Learner examples
Would you like a hot brew?
Kérsz egy forró italt?
He made a brew for everyone in the room.
Mindenkinek főzött egy teát, aki a szobában volt.
This brew tastes very strong.
I drink a sweet brew after dinner.
Common mistake:
Learners may not realize that **brew** as a noun is especially common in British English for a casual cup of tea or coffee. In more formal writing, people usually say **a cup of tea/coffee** instead of **a brew**.
Meaning
a serving of brewed tea/coffee
Collocations
a nice brew
|a hot brew
|a strong brew
|make us a brew
|fancy a brew
Synonyms
drink (Very general; **brew** usually refers to a specific hot drink, especially tea or coffee.)
Antonyms
cold drink (Refers to non‑hot beverages, contrasting with a hot brewed drink.)
Themes
daily life
|food
|food_drink
|daily_life
Definition
A cup of hot drink like tea or coffee that has been made by brewing.
A cup or serving of a hot drink, especially tea or coffee, that has been made by brewing.
NOUN
B2
5
Usage pattern:
a [local/craft/special] brew
We tried a local brew made with honey and spices.
Megkóstoltunk egy mézzel és fűszerekkel készült helyi sört.
The pub always has at least one guest brew on tap.
A sörözőben mindig van csapon legalább egy vendégsör.
Their latest brew is a very hoppy pale ale.
He prefers a light, refreshing brew in the summer.
The festival showcases small independent brews from across the country.
Learner examples
This local brew is very popular.
Ez a helyi sör nagyon népszerű.
They sell many different brews in that bar.
Abban a bárban sokféle sört árulnak.
I want to taste their new summer brew.
She ordered a dark brew with her meal.
Common mistake:
Learners may think **brew** always means any beer, but in many contexts it suggests a particular style, batch, or special beer, often from a small or local producer.
Meaning
a particular beer or batch
Collocations
local brew
|craft brew
|a pale brew
|a dark brew
|a new seasonal brew
Synonyms
beer (General term; **brew** often highlights the style, origin, or special quality of the beer.)
Antonyms
wine (A different type of alcoholic drink, often contrasted with beer.)
Themes
food
|business
|food_drink
Definition
A special kind of beer, often made in one place or in a small amount.
A particular beer, especially one defined by the way it is brewed or by where or by whom it is made.
NOUN
C1
6
Usage pattern:
a [strange/heady/toxic] brew of [things]
The city offers a fascinating brew of cultures and languages.
A város kultúrák és nyelvek lenyűgöző keverékét kínálja.
The film is a heady brew of comedy and tragedy.
A film a vígjáték és a tragédia mámorító egyvelege.
Their relationship was a volatile brew of passion and jealousy.
The speech mixed a potent brew of fear and hope.
Social media can create a toxic brew of envy and insecurity.
Learner examples
The party was a strange brew of people from many places.
A buli sokfelől érkező emberek furcsa egyvelege volt.
His music is a brew of rock and jazz.
A zenéje a rock és a jazz ötvözete.
The book gives a powerful brew of facts and personal stories.
Her feelings were a brew of love and anger.
Common mistake:
Learners may try to use **brew** for any simple mix, for example *"a brew of apples and bananas"*. This figurative sense is usually used for abstract things like **ideas, feelings, cultures**, not for ordinary food mixes.
Meaning
mixture of elements or qualities
Collocations
a strange brew
|a heady brew
|a toxic brew
|a powerful brew
|a dangerous brew
Synonyms
mix (Very general word; **brew** suggests a mix that has developed over time and may be strong or intense.)
Antonyms
uniformity (Suggests sameness or lack of variety, the opposite of a mixed or varied brew.)
Themes
emotions
|society
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A mix of many different things that together create a strong feeling or effect.
A combination of different elements, qualities, or influences that together produce a particular effect, often used figuratively.
NOUN
C1
7
sörfőzés
B2
sörgyártás
B2
Usage pattern:
the brewing of [beer] / the brewing industry
He has spent his whole career in the brewing industry.
Egész pályafutását a sörgyártásban töltötte.
Modern brewing combines traditional methods with advanced technology.
A modern sörfőzés a hagyományos módszereket fejlett technológiával ötvözi.
Interest in home brewing has increased in recent years.
The book explains the science behind craft brewing.
She gave a talk on sustainable practices in brewing.
Learner examples
He works in brewing and loves beer.
Sörfőzéssel foglalkozik, és imádja a sört.
They started a small brewing business.
Kis sörfőző vállalkozást indítottak.
Home brewing is a popular hobby.
We visited a museum about the history of brewing.
Common mistake:
Learners often use **brew** instead of **brewing** when they mean the activity, for example *"He likes brew"*. Say **He likes brewing** or **He works in brewing**.
Meaning
the activity or industry of brewing
Collocations
the brewing process
|the brewing industry
|commercial brewing
|home brewing
|craft brewing
Synonyms
brewing (Gerund form; used more often than the bare noun **brew** when talking about the activity in general.)
Antonyms
consumption (Refers to using or drinking the product rather than producing it.)
Themes
business
|food
|food_drink
Definition
The work or business of making beer or other brewed drinks.
The process, practice, or business of making beer or other brewed drinks.
Grammar
Dictionary form
brew
IPA
GB/bɹˈu/
US/bɹˈu/
Syllables & stress
brew (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (brew)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: brew
- Plural: brews
Verb
- Base: brew
- 3rd Person Singular: brews
- Present Participle: brewing
- Past: brewed
Word family
Expressions
brew up
1/bɹˈu ˈʌp/
phrasal verb
informal
make tea or coffee
To make tea, coffee, or another hot drink, especially in an informal social situation.
Examples
- I’ll brew up while you finish that email.
- We stopped by the river to brew up some tea.
- She brewed up a pot of coffee for the guests.
craft brew
1/kɹˈæft bɹˈu/
fixed phrase
special beer from small brewery
Beer made in small amounts by a small or independent company, often with special flavors.
Examples
- The bar has a huge range of local craft brews on tap.
- She prefers craft brews to mass‑produced beer.
- The festival focuses on regional craft brews and food trucks.
home brew
1/hˈoʊm bɹˈu/
fixed phrase
beer made at home
Beer made by a person at home instead of in a big factory.
Examples
- He brought a few bottles of his latest home brew to the party.
- Making home brew has become a popular hobby among young professionals.
- Her home brew actually tastes better than most supermarket beers.
trouble is brewing
1/tɹˈʌbəl ˈɪz bɹˈuɪŋ/
idiom
problems are starting to form
Used to say that problems are starting to grow and will probably cause serious issues soon.
Examples
- With all these complaints from staff, trouble is brewing for the manager.
- You can tell trouble is brewing when people stop talking in meetings.
- The falling sales numbers suggest that trouble is brewing for the company.
witch's brew
1/wˈɪt͡ʃɪz bɹˈu/
idiom
literary
dangerous or nasty mixture
A mix of many different things that together create something dangerous, frightening, or very unpleasant.
Examples
- The speech was a witch's brew of hate and fear.
- The chemicals formed a witch's brew that was highly toxic.
- The novel describes a witch's brew of crime, corruption, and poverty.
a storm is brewing
1/ə stˈɔɹm ˈɪz bɹˈuɪŋ/
idiom
serious conflict or trouble coming
Used to say that a big problem or conflict is starting and will probably become clear soon.
Examples
- A storm is brewing in the party over the new policy.
- You could feel that a storm was brewing between the two families.
- When I saw their faces, I knew a storm was brewing.
a storm is brewing
2/ə stˈɔɹm ˈɪz bɹˈuɪŋ/
idiom
Trouble is about to start soon
Something bad or difficult will happen soon.
Examples
- You can feel that a storm is brewing between the two leaders.
- Dark clouds gathered outside, and in politics, a different kind of storm was brewing.