I. ˈbär noun
Usage: often attributive
Etymology: Middle English barre, from Anglo-French, from Vulgar Latin * barra
Date: 12th century
1.
a. : a straight piece (as of wood or metal) that is longer than it is wide and has any of various uses (as for a lever, support, barrier, or fastening)
b. : a solid piece or block of material that is longer than it is wide
a bar of gold
a candy bar
c. : a usually rigid piece (as of wood or metal) longer than it is wide that is used as a handle or support ; especially : a handrail used by ballet dancers to maintain balance while exercising
2. : something that obstructs or prevents passage, progress, or action: as
a. : the destruction of an action or claim in law ; also : a plea or objection that effects such destruction
b. : an intangible or nonphysical impediment
c. : a submerged or partly submerged bank (as of sand) along a shore or in a river often obstructing navigation
3.
a.
(1) : the railing in a courtroom that encloses the place about the judge where prisoners are stationed or where the business of the court is transacted in civil cases
(2) : court , tribunal
(3) : a particular system of courts
(4) : an authority or tribunal that hands down judgment
b.
(1) : the barrier in the English Inns of Court that formerly separated the seats of the benchers or readers from the body of the hall occupied by the students
(2) : the whole body of barristers or lawyers qualified to practice in the courts of any jurisdiction
(3) : the profession of barrister or lawyer
4. : a straight stripe, band, or line much longer than it is wide: as
a. : one of two or more horizontal stripes on a heraldic shield
b. : a metal or embroidered strip worn on a usually military uniform especially to indicate rank (as of a company officer) or service
5.
a. : a counter at which food or especially alcoholic beverages are served
b. : barroom
c. : shop 2b
6.
a. : a vertical line across the musical staff before the initial measure accent
b. : measure
7. : a lace and embroidery joining covered with buttonhole stitch for connecting various parts of the pattern in needlepoint lace and cutwork
8. : standard
wants to raise the bar for approving new drugs
•
- behind bars
II. transitive verb
( barred ; bar·ring )
Date: 13th century
1.
a. : to fasten with a bar
b. : to place bars across to prevent ingress or egress
bar the door
2. : to mark with bars : stripe
3.
a. : to confine or shut in by or as if by bars
b. : to set aside : rule out
did not bar the possibility of further measures
c. : to keep out : exclude
barring him from the club
4.
a. : to interpose legal objection to or to the claim of
b. : prevent , forbid
a decision barring his participation
III. preposition
Date: 1714
: except
the country's most popular actor, bar none
IV. noun
Etymology: German, from Greek baros
Date: 1910
: a unit of pressure equal to 100,000 pascals
V. abbreviation
1. barometer; barometric
2. barrel