gruel Definition
gruel (gro̵̅o̅′əl)
noun
- thin, easily digested porridge made by cooking meal in water or milk
- Brit., Informal punishment
Etymology: ME < OFr, coarse meal < ML *grutellum, dim. of grutum, meal, mash < Gmc *grut, hulled dried grain, akin to groats
gruel Usage Examples
Converse of object
- make: I made a meal gruel and gave it to her after sweetening it with sugar.
- eat: I feel sorry for the students at Irvine having to eat the gruel of Islamic ignorance fed to them by LeVine.
- have: My dear Emma, suppose we all have a little gruel.
Adjective modifier
- thin: Black bread and thin gruel twice daily was the staple diet.
- little: My dear Emma, suppose we all have a little gruel.
- hot: In a candlelit near-darkness I sat nonchalantly trying not to shiver, on my insulated granite chair and spooned invisible hot veggie burger gruel.
Adjective complement
puzzling: From the Alphabet Murder Puzzle Series, this jigsaw combines grueling puzzling with a murder mystery.
Noun used with modifier
rice: There, poor families consume rice as a staple; babies are often weaned on rice gruel.

