Good ale is meat, drink, and cloth.
Good ale is meat, drink, and cloth.
Meaning in plain English
The saying praises good ale as food, drink and clothing at once. Its extravagant list imagines one comfort supplying several kinds of provision.
Example
A reader distinguishes enthusiastic praise of a favourite comfort from a complete account of practical needs.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
Meat, drink and cloth expand the drink’s role beyond its literal category. A careful interpretation can recognise exaggerated praise without claiming that ale replaces meals or clothing or supplies complete wellbeing. The useful wider question is what one valued resource actually provides, and which needs remain outside it.
When to use it
Use it to examine an exaggerated claim of all-purpose provision.
Keep in mind
The praise is not a verified nutritional or health benefit of alcohol.
Edsverb editorial interpretation · agent reviewed · 2026-10-05. This explains the saying; it does not establish its historical origin.
- Source
- A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases
Entry 22 · Ale
Read the original context ↗ - Attribution confidence
- traditional · historical anthology
Preserved as printed; independently unverified. - Historical coordinate
- Undated
No reliable date supplied by the collection. - Rights & edition
- Public domain (United States)
Translations and rights may differ elsewhere.
Provenance and licences ↗