noun
- a kiln for drying hops or malt, typically having a conical roof
Usage: chiefly British
Examples
- The old oast house stood at the edge of the hop field.
- Farmers used the oast to dry their hops before brewing.
- The distinctive conical roof of the oast was visible from miles away.
- Traditional oasts were heated by charcoal fires.
- Many historic oasts in Kent have been converted into homes.
- The oast’s cowl rotated with the wind to control airflow.