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barrage - 5 dictionary results

bar⋅rage

  [buh-rahzh; especially Brit. bar-ahzh for 1, 2, 4, 5; bahr-ij for 3] noun, verb, -raged, -rag⋅ing.
Use barrage in a Sentence
–noun
1. Military. a heavy barrier of artillery fire to protect one's own advancing or retreating troops or to stop the advance of enemy troops.
2. an overwhelming quantity or explosion, as of words, blows, or criticisms: a barrage of questions.
3. Civil Engineering. an artificial obstruction in a watercourse to increase the depth of the water, facilitate irrigation, etc.
4. Mycology. an aversion response of sexually incompatible fungus cultures that are growing in proximity, revealed by a persistent growth gap between them.
–verb (used with object)
5. to subject to a barrage.
Origin:
1855–60; < F: blocking, barring off, barrier, equiv. to barr(er) to bar 1 + -age -age; artillery sense by ellipsis from F tir de barrage barrier fire

Synonyms:
2. volley, torrent, deluge, burst, storm.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To barrage
bar·rage 1   (bär'ĭj)   
n.  An artificial obstruction, such as a dam or irrigation channel, built in a watercourse to increase its depth or to divert its flow.

[French, from barrer, to bar, from barre, bar, from Old French; see bar1.]
bar·rage 2   (bə-räzh')   
n.  
    1. A heavy curtain of artillery fire directed in front of friendly troops to screen and protect them.
    2. A rapid, concentrated discharge of missiles, as from small arms.
  2. An overwhelming, concentrated outpouring, as of words: a barrage of criticism.
tr.v.   bar·raged, bar·rag·ing, bar·rag·es
To direct a barrage at.

[French (tir de) barrage, barrier (fire); see barrage1.]
Synonyms: These verbs mean to direct a concentrated outpouring at something or someone: barraged the speaker with questions; bombarded the box office with ticket orders; peppered the senator with protests; showered the child with gifts.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Barrage

Bar"rage\, n. [F., fr. barrer to bar, from barre bar.] (Engin.) An artificial bar or obstruction placed in a river or water course to increase the depth of water; as, the barrages of the Nile.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : barrage
Spanish: barrera, cortina de fuego,
German: das Sperrfeuer,
Japanese: 弾幕
More Translations »

barrage 
1859, "man-made barrier in a stream," from Fr. barrer "to stop," from barre "bar," from O.Fr. barre (see bar). Artillery sense is 1916, from World War I Fr. phrase tir de barrage "barrier fire" intended to isolate the objective.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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