rye

noun9

1. •
   A grain used extensively in Europe for making bread, beer, and (now generally) for animal fodder.

   • They bought a sack of rye and a sack of wheat with the intent to try their hand at milling and baking.
2. •
   The grass Secale cereale from which the grain is obtained.

   • This field will be planted to rye next spring.
3. •
   (US, Canada) A drink (serving) of rye whiskey.

   • I'll have a rye, neat, please.
4. •
   (US, Canada) Ellipsis of rye whiskey, whiskey made mainly or wholly from rye grain.

   • He likes any whiskey, but his favorite is rye.
5. •
   Ellipsis of rye bread.

   • Customer: A tuna sandwich, please. Waiter: Sure, hon. You want that on white, wheat, or rye?
6. •
   (nonstandard) Ryegrass, any of the species of Lolium.
7. •
   (nonstandard) Caraway (from the mistaken assumption that the whole seeds, often used to season rye bread, are the rye itself)
8. •
   A young man.

   • The Rye is my uncle, Hans Breitmann, Mr. Leland, whom all the Romanies know. His gipsy lore was great; […] — 1893
9. •
   A disease of hawks.

   • Of all the diseases that belongs to these Hawkes, there bee onely three that they bee most subiect vnto, which is the Rye, the Crampe, and the Craye. — 1618