a relatively long, evenly shaped piece of some solid substance, as metal or wood, used as a guard or obstruction or for some mechanical purpose: the bars of a cage.
2.
an oblong piece of any solid material: a bar of soap; a candy bar.
3.
the amount of material in a bar.
4.
an ingot, lump, or wedge of gold or silver.
5.
a long ridge of sand, gravel, or other material near or slightly above the surface of the water at or near the mouth of a river or harbor entrance, often constituting an obstruction to navigation.
6.
anything that obstructs, hinders, or impedes; obstacle; barrier: a bar to important legislation.
7.
a counter or place where beverages, esp. liquors, or light meals are served to customers: a snack bar; a milk bar.
8.
a barroom or tavern.
9.
(in a home) a counter, small wagon, or similar piece of furniture for serving food or beverages: a breakfast bar.
10.
the legal profession.
11.
the practicing members of the legal profession in a given community.
12.
any tribunal: the bar of public opinion.
13.
a band or strip: a bar of light.
14.
a railing in a courtroom separating the general public from the part of the room occupied by the judges, jury, attorneys, etc.
15.
a crowbar.
16.
Music.
a.
Also called bar line.the line marking the division between two measures of music.
Heraldry. a horizontal band, narrower than a fess, that crosses the field of an escutcheon.
28.
Obsolete. a gateway capable of being barred.
–verb (used with object)
29.
to equip or fasten with a bar or bars: Bar the door before retiring for the night.
30.
to block by or as if by bars: The police barred the exits in an attempt to prevent the thief's escape.
31.
to prevent or hinder: They barred her entrance to the club.
32.
to exclude or except: He was barred from membership because of his reputation.
33.
to mark with bars, stripes, or bands.
–preposition
34.
except; omitting; but: bar none.
—Idioms
35.
at bar, Law.
a.
before the court and being tried: a case at bar.
b.
before all the judges of a court: a trial at bar.
36.
behind bars, in jail: We wanted the criminal behind bars.
Origin: 1175–1225; ME barre < OF < VL *barra rod, of obscure, perh. of pre-L orig.
Related forms:
barless, adjective
bar⋅ra⋅ble, adjective
Synonyms: 1.rod, pole. 5.shoal, reef, bank, sand bar. 6.deterrent, stop. Bar,barrier,barricade mean something put in the way of advance. Bar has the general meaning of hindrance or obstruction: a bar across the doorway. Barrier suggests an impediment to progress or a defensive obstruction (natural or artificial): a trade barrier; a mountain barrier; a road barrier. A barricade is esp. a pile of articles hastily gathered or a rude earthwork for protection in street fighting: a barricade of wooden boxes. 7.saloon, café; cocktail lounge. 30, 31.obstruct, deter, impede, barricade. 32.eliminate.
c.1175, "stake or rod of iron used to fasten a door or gate," from O.Fr. barre, from V.L. *barra "bar, barrier," which some suggest is from Gaulish *barros "the bushy end," but OED regards this as "discredited" because it "in no way suits the sense." Bar code first recorded 1963. Behind bars "in prison" is from 1951. Meaning "bank of sand across a harbor or river mouth" is from 1586, so called because it was an obstruction to navigation.
Main Entry: bar Function: transitive verb Inflected Forms: barred; bar·ring 1: to keep out :EXCLUDEbar the items from sale> 2: to prevent from doing or accomplishing (something) bar her recovery> bars his reinstatement> 3:PRECLUDE: as a: to act as a bar to (as a claim or action) bars actions —Louisiana Civil Code> barred the subsequent claim> b: to prevent (a party) from bringing a claim or action barred by the judgment…from relitigating their claims —Roach v. Teamsters Local Union Number 688, 595 Federal Reporter, Second Series 446 (1979)> —see also ESTOP —compare MERGE 2 —bar·ra·bleadjective