(~s, ~ring, ~red)
Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English.
1.
A ~ is a place where you can buy and drink alcoholic drinks. (mainly AM)
...Devil’s Herd, the city’s most popular country-western ~.
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2.
A ~ is a room in a pub or hotel where alcoholic drinks are served. (BRIT)
I’ll see you in the ~ later...
On the ship there are video lounges, a ~ and a small duty-free shop.
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3.
A ~ is a counter on which alcoholic drinks are served.
Michael was standing alone by the ~ when Brian rejoined him...
He leaned forward across the ~.
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see also coffee ~ , public ~ , singles ~ , snack ~ , wine ~
4.
A ~ is a long, straight, stiff piece of metal.
...a brick building with ~s across the ground floor windows.
...a crowd throwing stones and iron ~s.
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5.
If you say that someone is behind ~s, you mean that they are in prison.
Fisher was behind ~s last night, charged with attempted murder...
Nearly 5,000 people a year are put behind ~s over motoring penalties.
PHRASE: PHR after v, v-link PHR
6.
A ~ of something is a piece of it which is roughly rectangular.
What is your favourite chocolate ~?
...a ~ of soap.
N-COUNT: with supp
7.
If you ~ a door, you place something in front of it or a piece of wood or metal across it in order to prevent it from being opened.
For added safety, ~ the door to the kitchen.
VERB: V n
~red
The windows were closed and shuttered, the door was ~red.
ADJ: usu v-link ADJ
8.
If you ~ someone’s way, you prevent them from going somewhere or entering a place, by blocking their path.
He stepped in front of her, ~ring her way.
= block
VERB: V n
9.
If someone is ~red from a place or from doing something, they are officially forbidden to go there or to do it.
Amnesty workers have been ~red from Sri Lanka since 1982...
Many jobs were ~red to them.
= ban
VERB: usu passive, be V-ed from n, be V-ed to n
10.
If something is a ~ to doing a particular thing, it prevents someone from doing it.
One of the fundamental ~s to communication is the lack of a universally spoken, common language...
N-COUNT: usu N to n/-ing
11.
If you say that there are no holds ~red when people are fighting or competing for something, you mean that they are no longer following any rules in their efforts to win.
It is a war with no holds ~red and we must prepare to resist...
PHRASE
12.
You can use ~ when you mean ‘except’. For example, all the work ~ the washing means all the work except the washing.
Bar a plateau in 1989, there has been a rise in inflation ever since the mid-1980’s...
The aim of the service was to offer everything the independent investor wanted, ~ advice.
= save
PREP
see also ~ring
•
You use ~ none to add emphasis to a statement that someone or something is the best of their kind.
He is simply the best goalscorer we have ever had, ~ none.
= without exception
PHRASE emphasis
13.
The Bar is used to refer to the profession of a ~rister in England, or of any kind of lawyer in the United States.
Robert was planning to read for the Bar.
N-PROPER: the N
14.
In music, a ~ is one of the several short parts of the same length into which a piece of music is divided. (mainly BRIT; in AM, use measure )
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