bar

¹

[ bahr ]

noun

1. a relatively long, evenly shaped piece of some solid substance, as metal or wood, used as a guard or obstruction or for some mechanical purpose:

   the bars of a cage.

   Synonyms: pole, rod

2. an oblong piece of any solid material:

   a bar of soap;

   a candy bar.

3. the amount of material in a bar.
4. an ingot, lump, or wedge of gold or silver.
5. a long ridge of sand, gravel, or other material near or slightly above the surface of the water at or near the mouth of a river or harbor entrance, often constituting an obstruction to navigation.

   Synonyms: sandbar, bank, reef, shoal

6. anything that obstructs, hinders, or impedes; obstacle; barrier:

   a bar to important legislation.

   Synonyms: stop, deterrent

7. a counter or place where beverages, especially liquors, or light meals are served to customers:

   a snack bar;

   a milk bar.

   Synonyms: cocktail lounge, saloon

8. a barroom or tavern.
9. (in a home) a counter, small wagon, or similar piece of furniture for serving food or beverages:

   a breakfast bar.

10. the legal profession.
11. the practicing members of the legal profession in a given community.
12. any tribunal:

    the bar of public opinion.

13. a band or strip:

    a bar of light.

14. a railing in a courtroom separating the general public from the part of the room occupied by the judges, jury, attorneys, etc.
15. a crowbar.
16. Music.
    1. Also called bar line. the line marking the division between two measures of music.
    2. double bar.
    3. the unit of music contained between two bar lines; measure.
17. Ballet. barre.
18. Law.
    1. an objection that nullifies an action or claim.
    2. a stoppage or defeat of an alleged right of action.
19. Typography. a horizontal stroke of a type character, as of an A, H, t, and sometimes e.
20. Architecture. (in tracery) a relatively long and slender upright of stone treated as a colonette or molded.
21. Building Trades.
    1. an iron or steel shape:

       I-bar.

    2. a muntin.
22. Military. one of a pair of metal or cloth insignia worn by certain commissioned officers.
23. bars, the transverse ridges on the roof of the mouth of a horse.
24. a space between the molar and canine teeth of a horse into which the bit is fitted.
25. (in a bridle) the mouthpiece connecting the cheeks.
26. bride ²( def 1 ).
27. Heraldry. a horizontal band, narrower than a fess, that crosses the field of an escutcheon.
28. Obsolete. a gateway capable of being barred.

verb (used with object)

, barred, bar·ring.

1. to equip or fasten with a bar or bars:

   Bar the door before retiring for the night.

2. to block by or as if by bars:

   The police barred the exits in an attempt to prevent the thief 's escape.

   Synonyms: barricade, impede, obstruct, deter

3. to prevent or hinder:

   They barred her entrance to the club.

   Synonyms: impede, obstruct, barricade, deter

4. to exclude or except:

   He was barred from membership because of his reputation.

   Synonyms: drop

5. to mark with bars, stripes, or bands.

preposition

1. except; omitting; but:

   bar none.

bar

²

[ bahr ]

noun

1. mosquito net.

bar

³

[ bahr ]

noun

, Physics.

1. a centimeter-gram-second unit of pressure, equal to one million dynes per square centimeter.
2. (formerly) microbar. : b

BAR

⁴

abbreviation for

1. Browning automatic rifle.

bar.

⁵

abbreviation for

1. barometer.
2. barometric.
3. barrel.
4. barrister.

Bar.

⁶

abbreviation for

, Bible.

1. Baruch.

B.Ar.

⁷

abbreviation for

1. Bachelor of Architecture.

Bar-

¹

/ bɑː; bar /

prefix

1. (before Jewish patronymic names) son of

   Bar-Kochba

BAR

²

abbreviation for

1. Browning Automatic Rifle

bar.

³

abbreviation for

1. barometer
2. barometric
3. barrel (container or unit of measure)
4. barrister

Bar

⁴

/ bɑː /

noun

1. (in England and elsewhere) barristers collectively
2. the legal profession collectively
3. be called to the Bar
   to become a barrister
4. be called within the Bar
   to be appointed as a Queen's Counsel

bar

⁵

/ bɑː /

noun

1. immunity from being caught or otherwise penalized in a game

interjection

1. a cry for such immunity

bar

⁶

/ bɑː /

noun

1. a cgs unit of pressure equal to 10 ⁶dynes per square centimetre. 1 bar is equivalent to 10 ⁵newtons per square metre

bar

⁷

/ bɑː /

noun

1. a rigid usually straight length of metal, wood, etc, that is longer than it is wide or thick, used esp as a barrier or as a structural or mechanical part

   a bar of a gate

2. a solid usually rectangular block of any material

   a bar of soap

3. anything that obstructs or prevents
4. 1. an offshore ridge of sand, mud, or shingle lying near the shore and parallel to it, across the mouth of a river, bay, or harbour, or linking an island to the mainland
   2. an alluvial deposit in a stream, river, or lake
5. a counter or room where alcoholic drinks are served
6. a counter, room, or establishment where a particular range of goods, food, services, etc, are sold

   a heel bar

   a coffee bar

7. a narrow band or stripe, as of colour or light
8. a heating element in an electric fire
9. (in England) the area in a court of law separating the part reserved for the bench and Queen's Counsel from the area occupied by junior barristers, solicitors, and the general public See also Bar
10. the place in a court of law where the accused stands during his trial

    the prisoner at the bar

11. a particular court of law
12. (in the House of Lords and House of Commons) the boundary where nonmembers wishing to address either House appear and where persons are arraigned
13. a plea showing that a plaintiff has no cause of action, as when the case has already been adjudicated upon or the time allowed for bringing the action has passed
14. anything referred to as an authority or tribunal

    the bar of decency

15. Also calledmeasure music
    1. a group of beats that is repeated with a consistent rhythm throughout a piece or passage of music. The number of beats in the bar is indicated by the time signature
    2. another word for bar line
16. 1. insignia added to a decoration indicating a second award
    2. a strip of metal worn with uniform, esp to signify rank or as an award for service
17. a variant spelling of barre
18. sport See crossbar
19. gymnastics See horizontal bar
20. 1. part of the metal mouthpiece of a horse's bridle
    2. the space between the horse's teeth in which such a part fits
21. either of two horny extensions that project forwards and inwards from the rear of the outer layer of a horse's hoof
22. See crowbar glazing-bar
23. lacemaking needlework another name for bride 2
24. heraldry an ordinary consisting of a horizontal line across a shield, typically narrower than a fesse, and usually appearing in twos or threes
25. maths a superscript line ⁻ placed over a letter symbol to indicate, for example, a mean value or the complex conjugate of a complex number
26. behind bars
    in prison
27. won't have a bar of or wouldn't have a bar of informal.
    cannot tolerate; dislike

verb

1. to fasten or secure with a bar

   to bar the door

2. to shut in or out with or as if with barriers

   to bar the entrances

3. to obstruct; hinder

   the fallen tree barred the road

4. usually foll by from to prohibit; forbid

   to bar a couple from meeting

5. usually foll by from to keep out; exclude

   to bar a person from membership

6. to mark with a bar or bars
7. law to prevent or halt (an action) by showing that the claimant has no cause
8. to mark off (music) into bars with bar lines

preposition

1. except for

   the best recital bar last night's

2. bar none
   without exception

bar

/ bär /

1. A unit used to measure atmospheric pressure. It is equal to a force of 100,000 newtons per square meter of surface area, or 0.987 atmosphere.
2. An elongated, offshore ridge of sand, gravel, or other unconsolidated sediment, formed by the action of waves or long-shore currents and submerged at least during high tide. Bars are especially common near the mouths of rivers or estuaries.
3. A ridgelike mound of sand, gravel or silt formed within a stream, along its banks, or at its mouth. Bars form where the stream's current slows down, causing sediment to be deposited.

Other Words From

• barless adjective
• barra·ble adjective
• un·barra·ble adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of bar¹

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English barre, barr, bar, from Old French, from unattested Vulgar Latin barra “rod,” of obscure, perhaps pre-Latin, origin

Origin of bar²

First recorded in 1770–80; from Louisiana French bère, baire, apparently representing dialect pronunciation of French barre “barrier, rod”; bar ¹

Origin of bar³

First recorded in 1900–05; from Greek báros “weight”; barometer, isobar

Word History and Origins

Origin of bar¹

variant of barley ²

Origin of bar²

C20: from Greek baros weight

Origin of bar³

C12: from Old French barre , from Vulgar Latin barra (unattested) bar, rod, of unknown origin

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. at bar, Law.
   1. before the court and being tried:

      a case at bar.

   2. before all the judges of a court:

      a trial at bar.

2. behind bars, in jail:

   We wanted the criminal behind bars.

More idioms and phrases containing bar

In addition to the idiom beginning with bar , also see behind bars ; no holds barred .

Synonym Study

Bar, barrier, barricade mean something put in the way of advance. Bar has the general meaning of hindrance or obstruction: a bar across the doorway. Barrier suggests an impediment to progress or a defensive obstruction (natural or artificial): a trade barrier; a mountain barrier; a road barrier. A barricade is especially a pile of articles hastily gathered or a rude earthwork for protection in street fighting: a barricade of wooden boxes.

Example Sentences

The commission's report said there was "no bar on individuals who have previously worked for political parties or made political donations becoming civil servants".

From BBC

Though she shows promise in the field of sorcery from a young age, the color of Elphaba’s skin ensures that she stays a pariah barred from studying her powers.

From Salon

The father of her children and the prosecutor of the case will also have an opportunity to argue why she should remain behind bars.

From BBC

Philp called for it to be widened to cover when police should deal with these incidents at all, to create "quite a high bar" and to avoid "wasting" their time and resources.

From BBC

The rich culture of these African and Caribbean communities can be experienced in restaurants, bars and cultural institutions.

From New York Times

Related Words

• bistro
• inn
• lounge
• pub
• saloon
• tavern