n. 1 rod, shaft, pole, stick, stake A heavy iron bar is used to tamp the dynamite into place in the hole 2 strip, stripe, band, belt; streak, line The company trade mark is a narrow red bar around the barrel of every ball-point pen 3 barrier, obstacle, obstruction, barricade, hindrance, block, deterrent, impediment; ban, embargo A steel bar was across the entrance Her pride proved a bar to her success. There is a bar against importing spirits. 4 sandbar, shallow, shoal, bank, sandbank Because the keel is too deep, the sloop will be unable to cross the bar till high tide 5 tribunal, court, courtroom, lawcourt, bench The former mayor was found guilty of corruption at the bar of public opinion 6 bar-room, saloon, public house, café, lounge, cocktail lounge, tavern, taproom, canteen, Brit local, wine bar; Colloq pub; Slang boozer, gin-mill I was at the bar on my third beer when she walked in 7 counter We had a quick lunch at the sandwich bar
v. 8 fasten, close up, secure, shut up; lock, lock up, padlock We tried to get in through the window, but they had barred it 9 block, obstruct, stop, stay, hinder, keep (out), shut out, exclude, prevent, forbid, prohibit, set aside; forestall, impede, hamper, retard, balk, barricade; ban, embargo After his behaviour, he was barred from the club for a year A huge man in an ill-fitting dinner-jacket barred my way. The regulations bar the import of firearms.
prep. 10 except (for), excepting, excluding, barring, outside (of), save for, aside from, but It's all over now bar the shouting