On the brew
Signing on; on the dole. The brew is the bureau.
Heard in Down
Me da's been on de brew since nineteen eighty six and he's never been busier.
Shall I translate it into posh English for you, mucker?
Well, well, well. Who have we here? Here it is in posh English.
My father has been in receipt of unemployment benefit since 1986, yet he has never been more fully occupied.
Questions
What does on the brew mean in Ireland?
Signing on; on the dole. The brew is the bureau.
Where in Ireland do people say on the brew?
People say on the brew in Down.
How do you use on the brew in a sentence?
“Me da's been on de brew since nineteen eighty six and he's never been busier.”
Updated
On the list: Irish slang phrases
Same phrase, other counties
- Down (not in the dictionary)