n.
Pronunciation: ' ber- ə l, ' ba-r ə l
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English barel, from Anglo-French baril
Date: 14th century
1 : a round bulging vessel of greater length than breadth that is usually made of staves bound with hoops and has flat ends of equal diameter
2 a : the amount contained in a barrel especially : the amount (as 31 gallons of fermented beverage or 42 gallons of petroleum) fixed for a certain commodity used as a unit of measure b : a great quantity
3 : a drum or cylindrical part: as a : the discharging tube of a gun b : the part of a fountain pen or of a pencil containing the ink or lead c : a cylindrical or tapering housing containing the optical components of a photographic-lens system and the iris diaphragm d : the fuel outlet from the carburetor on a gasoline engine
4 : the trunk of a quadruped
– bar · reled \ - ə ld \ adjective
– on the barrel : asking for or granting no credit
– over a barrel : at a disadvantage : in an awkward position