Meaning & Definition of Gruel in English

Detailed Definitions

• Definition: A substance consisting of cereal boiled in milk or water.

  Example Sentence: The children were fed gruel at the orphanage.

• Definition: An unpleasantly thin or insipid food or drink.

  Example Sentence: After a week of only gruel, he was longing for a proper meal.

Etymology

Origin: Middle English, from Old French 'gruel', of uncertain origin.

Synonyms

Common Phrases and Expressions

• Run-of-the-mill gruel: Something that is ordinary and lacks excitement or quality.
• Gruel and bare bones: Refers to something that is minimal or lacking in abundance.

Translations

• Spanish: gachas

• French: gruau

• German: Grütze

• Russian: размолотый овес

Related Words

• porridge: A hot cereal dish made by boiling oats or other grains in milk or water.

• pottage: A thick soup made by boiling vegetables, such as peas, beans, or grains.

• broth: A liquid in which meat, fish, or vegetables have been cooked.

Slang Meanings of gruel

• Meaning: Basic or bland food.

  Example Sentence: The meal was just gruel, nothing special.

• Meaning: Something that is boring or uninteresting.

  Example Sentence: His speech was as dull as gruel.