Adam’s ale

Meaning

Adam's ale is an idiom used to refer to a drink that has no taste or alcohol content. It is often used to describe a beverage that is bland, tasteless, or watered-down. The phrase can also be used in a more general sense to mean any drink that is not particularly enjoyable or satisfying.

Usage

• After hours at the office, the group decided to grab a drink from the nearby bar. But when they arrived, they found that the happy hour special was nothing more than Adam's ale.
• I had a lot of work to do and needed something to help me focus, but the watered-down coffee I found at the convenience store was just Adam's ale.
• The restaurant had a great selection of beers, but when I asked for a glass of red wine, the waiter handed me a glass of Adam's ale instead.
• My friend wanted to take his car to the shop, but they were booked solid and couldn't fit it in until next week. He was disappointed and felt like he was drinking Adam's ale when he realized how long he had to wait.
• We were out for a hike and decided to stop at a nearby stream for some refreshments. I picked up a bag of chips from the car, but they were stale and tasted like nothing more than Adam's ale.

Roots and History

Adam's ale was first used in 1583 by John Heywood in his book "A Dialogue Conteinyng the Nomber in Effect of All the Prouerbes in the Englishe Tongue." The idiom comes from an earlier phrase, "Adam's ale," which referred to water or any other drink that was not particularly good. Over time, the meaning of Adam's ale has evolved slightly to refer specifically to a drink with no taste or alcohol content. Today, the idiom is commonly used in everyday conversation and appears in literature and media as well.

Synonyms in English

• Swill
• Slosh
• Dross
• Muck
• Grit

Synonyms in other languages

• French: Huile d'olive (oil)
• German: Wasser (water)
• Italian: Acqua (water)
• Spanish: Agua (water)
• Portuguese: Água (water)

Similar Idioms

• a cinch

• all Greek to me

• at sixes and sevens