barrage

[ buh-rahzh; especially British bar-ahzh bahr-ij ]

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.

   Synonyms: storm, burst, deluge, torrent, volley

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)

, bar·raged, bar·rag·ing.

1. to subject to a barrage.

barrage

/ ˈbærɑːʒ /

noun

1. military the firing of artillery to saturate an area, either to protect against an attack or to support an advance
2. an overwhelming and continuous delivery of something, as words, questions, or punches
3. a usually gated construction, similar to a low dam, across a watercourse, esp one to increase the depth of water to assist navigation or irrigation
4. fencing a heat or series of bouts in a competition

verb

1. tr to attack or confront with a barrage

   the speaker was barraged with abuse

Word History and Origins

Origin of barrage¹

1855–60; < French: blocking, barring off, barrier, equivalent to barr ( er ) to bar ¹ + -age -age; artillery sense by ellipsis from French tir de barrage barrier fire

Word History and Origins

Origin of barrage¹

C19: from French, from barrer to obstruct; see bar ¹

Example Sentences

Both were convinced that the Syrian military, not its rebels, were behind the deadly sarin barrage.

From The Daily Beast

A half-an-hour earlier they had been caught in the middle of a mortar barrage in a skirmish with separatists.

From The Daily Beast

The barrage and immediacy of these images magnifies these horrors.

From The Daily Beast

Ultimately, The Slap becomes something heartwarming amidst the barrage of stinging smacks.

From The Daily Beast

Styles quickly removed the photo from his Twitter account, but not before fielding a barrage of angry tweets.

From The Daily Beast

Si le barrage des Dardanelles n'était pas brisé, il serait tourné.

From Project Gutenberg

Behind that cloud of gas the German troops advanced, protected by a heavy barrage and intense machine-gun fire.

From Project Gutenberg

The English boys fought and force-marched and fought again their terrible way through the barrage to our aid.

From Project Gutenberg

At that moment, there was a sudden rushing overhead, and an instant later the barrage began falling beyond the crest of the ridge.

From Project Gutenberg

A project is on foot at present for a work of this nature, a barrage on the Nazas.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• assault
• attack
• blast
• bombardment
• burst
• deluge
• hail
• onslaught
• rain
• shower
• storm
• stream
• surge
• torrent