barrack
1 Americannoun
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a building or group of buildings for lodging soldiers, especially in garrison.
-
any large, plain building in which many people are lodged.
verb (used with or without object)
verb (used without object)
verb (used with object)
verb
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to criticize loudly or shout against (a player, team, speaker, etc); jeer
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to shout support (for)
verb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of barrack1
1680–90; < French baraque, Middle French < Catalan barraca hut, of obscure origin
Origin of barrack2
1885–90; originally Australian English, perhaps < N Ireland dialect barrack to brag
Explanation
A barrack is a building where military personnel live. It’s usually used in the plural, as barracks. It’s also a verb — when soldiers lodge in barracks, they barrack there. Barrack comes from the Spanish barraca for "soldier's tent." Now it’s more than a tent. Barracks are the buildings where soldiers, commanders, and medical staff lodge. Many barracks are temporary buildings that can be taken down quickly and reassembled elsewhere. Other barracks are more sturdy and permanent, but the people who barrack (stay there) are always people in the military.
Vocabulary lists containing barrack
"Paul Revere's Ride" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
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Chains
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Fallen Angels
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Tom Barrack, the Trump-appointed U.S. ambassador to Turkey who also plays a large role in shaping the administration’s approach to the Middle East, has been a proponent of breaking the impasse.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 24, 2026
US Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack confirmed the visa issuances, saying that "sports transcends borders, and we look forward to welcoming competitors and fans from around the world."
From Barron's • Jun. 6, 2026
Barrack, who closely followed the negotiations, said last month that the SDF's original purpose in fighting IS had "largely expired" after Syria joined the anti-IS coalition.
From Barron's • Feb. 20, 2026
US envoy Tom Barrack called it "a profound and historic milestone in Syria's journey toward national reconciliation, unity, and enduring stability".
From BBC • Jan. 30, 2026
I run up the lane to see him go down Barrack Hill and down St. Joseph’s Street.
From "Angela's Ashes: A Memoir" by Frank McCourt
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
