the personification of alcohol, esp of malt spirits
John Barleycorn in American English
personification of
corn liquor, malt liquor, etc.
John Barleycorn in American English
noun
a personification of barley as used in malt liquor, of malt liquor itself, or of any intoxicating liquor
Word origin
[1610–20]This word is first recorded in the period 1610–20. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: cult, decoy, institutional, integration, technical