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.
an oblong piece of any solid material.
a bar of soap;
a candy bar.
the amount of material in a bar.
an ingot, lump, or wedge of gold or silver.
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.
anything that obstructs, hinders, or impedes; obstacle; barrier.
a bar to important legislation.
a counter or place where beverages, especially liquors, or light meals are served to customers.
a snack bar;
a milk bar.
a barroom or tavern.
(in a home) a counter, small wagon, or similar piece of furniture for serving food or beverages.
a breakfast bar.
the legal profession.
the practicing members of the legal profession in a given community.
any tribunal.
the bar of public opinion.
a band or strip.
a bar of light.
a railing in a courtroom separating the general public from the part of the room occupied by the judges, jury, attorneys, etc.
a crowbar.
Music.
Also called bar line. the line marking the division between two measures of music.
the unit of music contained between two bar lines; measure.
Ballet. barre.
Law.
an objection that nullifies an action or claim.
a stoppage or defeat of an alleged right of action.
Typography. a horizontal stroke of a type character, as of an A, H, t, and sometimes e.
Architecture. (in tracery) a relatively long and slender upright of stone treated as a colonette or molded.
Building Trades.
an iron or steel shape.
I-bar.
a muntin.
Military. one of a pair of metal or cloth insignia worn by certain commissioned officers.
bars, the transverse ridges on the roof of the mouth of a horse.
a space between the molar and canine teeth of a horse into which the bit is fitted.
(in a bridle) the mouthpiece connecting the cheeks.
Heraldry. a horizontal band, narrower than a fess, that crosses the field of an escutcheon.
Obsolete. a gateway capable of being barred.
to equip or fasten with a bar or bars.
Bar the door before retiring for the night.
to block by or as if by bars.
The police barred the exits in an attempt to prevent the thief 's escape.
to prevent or hinder.
They barred her entrance to the club.
to exclude or except.
He was barred from membership because of his reputation.
to mark with bars, stripes, or bands.
behind bars, in jail.
We wanted the criminal behind bars.
at bar,
before the court and being tried.
a case at bar.
before all the judges of a court.
a trial at bar.
a centimeter-gram-second unit of pressure, equal to one million dynes per square centimeter.
(formerly) microbar. b
barometer.
barometric.
barrel.
barrister.
a rigid usually straight length of metal, wood, etc, that is longer than it is wide or thick, used esp as a barrier or as a structural or mechanical part
a bar of a gate
a solid usually rectangular block of any material
a bar of soap
anything that obstructs or prevents
an offshore ridge of sand, mud, or shingle lying near the shore and parallel to it, across the mouth of a river, bay, or harbour, or linking an island to the mainland
an alluvial deposit in a stream, river, or lake
a counter or room where alcoholic drinks are served
a counter, room, or establishment where a particular range of goods, food, services, etc, are sold
a coffee bar
a heel bar
a narrow band or stripe, as of colour or light
a heating element in an electric fire
(in England) the area in a court of law separating the part reserved for the bench and Queen's Counsel from the area occupied by junior barristers, solicitors, and the general public See also Bar
the place in a court of law where the accused stands during his trial
the prisoner at the bar
a particular court of law
(in the House of Lords and House of Commons) the boundary where nonmembers wishing to address either House appear and where persons are arraigned
a plea showing that a plaintiff has no cause of action, as when the case has already been adjudicated upon or the time allowed for bringing the action has passed
anything referred to as an authority or tribunal
the bar of decency
Also called: measure. music
a group of beats that is repeated with a consistent rhythm throughout a piece or passage of music. The number of beats in the bar is indicated by the time signature
another word for bar line
insignia added to a decoration indicating a second award
a strip of metal worn with uniform, esp to signify rank or as an award for service
a variant spelling of barre
sport See crossbar
gymnastics See horizontal bar
part of the metal mouthpiece of a horse's bridle
the space between the horse's teeth in which such a part fits
either of two horny extensions that project forwards and inwards from the rear of the outer layer of a horse's hoof
See crowbar glazing-bar
lacemaking needlework another name for bride 2
heraldry an ordinary consisting of a horizontal line across a shield, typically narrower than a fesse, and usually appearing in twos or threes
maths a superscript line ⁻ placed over a letter symbol to indicate, for example, a mean value or the complex conjugate of a complex number
in prison
informal cannot tolerate; dislike
to fasten or secure with a bar
to bar the door
to shut in or out with or as if with barriers
to bar the entrances
to obstruct; hinder
the fallen tree barred the road
(usually foll by from) to prohibit; forbid
to bar a couple from meeting
(usually foll by from) to keep out; exclude
to bar a person from membership
to mark with a bar or bars
law to prevent or halt (an action) by showing that the claimant has no cause
to mark off (music) into bars with bar lines
except for
the best recital bar last night's
without exception
barometer
barometric
barrel (container or unit of measure)
barrister
(in England and elsewhere) barristers collectively
the legal profession collectively
to become a barrister
to be appointed as a Queen's Counsel
A unit used to measure atmospheric pressure. It is equal to a force of 100,000 newtons per square meter of surface area, or 0.987 atmosphere.
An elongated, offshore ridge of sand, gravel, or other unconsolidated sediment, formed by the action of waves or long-shore currents and submerged at least during high tide. Bars are especially common near the mouths of rivers or estuaries.
A ridgelike mound of sand, gravel or silt formed within a stream, along its banks, or at its mouth. Bars form where the stream's current slows down, causing sediment to be deposited.
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 especially a pile of articles hastily gathered or a rude earthwork for protection in street fighting: a barricade of wooden boxes.
First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English barre, barr, bar, from Old French, from unattested Vulgar Latin barra “rod,” of obscure, perhaps pre-Latin, origin
First recorded in 1770–80; from Louisiana French bère, baire, apparently representing dialect pronunciation of French barre “barrier, rod”; see bar 1
First recorded in 1900–05; from Greek báros “weight”; cf. barometer, isobar
If you bar a college student from entering a bar because he's too young to drink, it means that you prevent him from going into an establishment that serves alcoholic beverages. Bar is one of those handy words with many different meanings. There's the kind of bar where you order coffee or a drink. There is also the bar that a bartender keeps close at hand in case she needs a weapon when patrons get rowdy — like a long piece of metal. And when you bar something, you make it inaccessible in some way. The word bar comes from the French word barre, which means "beam, gate, or barrier."
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Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Brazil 1970 are still held as the pinnacle of footballing brilliance, the bar by which every Selecao side since has been measured - with Pele, of course, alongside Jairzinho, Tostao and Rivellino.
From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026
If the bar is too high, flipping the switch may be difficult.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026
Hana, 57, who runs the bar Tachinomi Hanachan, had a less rosy perspective.
From Barron's ● Jul. 15, 2026
These are inspired by the butter-soaked spiced Saltines that have long floated around Southern church cookbooks, family recipe boxes and bar snack menus.
From Salon ● Jul. 14, 2026
As if fixed to the same marionette bar, the serpents moved as one, tightening around the raft.
From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman
Two other candidates - Formula Eagle, led by former BAR team boss Craig Pollock, and Pantera Team Asia - were ruled out at an earlier stage.
From BBC ● Oct. 2, 2023
John Cooper, who runs BAR, says that by 2025, he expects half of new cargo ships to come with some sort of wind power.
From NewsForKids.net ● Sep. 6, 2023
“These components will have to pass a BAR inspection with a certified state inspector and these vehicles will either need to be confirmed or corrected so that they’re street legal.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 14, 2023
BAR HARBOR, Maine — The National Park Service approved the first entrance fee increase in five years for Acadia National Park, officials said Tuesday.
From Washington Times ● Mar. 28, 2023
BAR HARBOR, a well-known summer resort of Hancock county, Maine, U.S.A., an unincorporated village, in the township of Eden, on Frenchman's Bay, on the E. side of Mount Desert Island, about 45 m.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 3, Part 1, Slice 3 "Banks" to "Bassoon" by Various
“Then we went to the far north side of Chicago to a Lithuanian neighborhood to play some grizzled old guys upstairs at the top of an old, smoky bar. They creamed us.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 25, 2026
His son added: "You see the same four to five walls, the same faces, the same people on the door, behind the bar. It feels more like a family in that sense."
From BBC ● Jun. 28, 2025
"The method we currently use to assess vision in dogs is a very low bar. In humans, it would be equivalent to saying yes or no if a person was blind," says Mowat.
From Science Daily ● Jan. 18, 2024
“Everton has set a bar. People say it is too harsh. I don’t think it is having studied the ruling,” sports lawyer Chris Farnell told The Associated Press.
From Washington Times ● Nov. 24, 2023
“Holy cow. Grill. Juice bar. Enormo-screen TV. Pineapple. This thing has everything.”
From "Beauty Queens" by Libba Bray
“First meeting the Primal Scream boys at the Milk Bar. Hot Soho streets and cold glasses of beer.”
From The Guardian ● Jul. 7, 2020
“The night was called Rattenbar: Rat Bar. And there he was,” Tillmans has said.
From The New Yorker ● Sep. 3, 2018
“There he is, Bar. Terry. He’s the one,” Bush playfully told his wife.
From Washington Times ● Apr. 18, 2018
“There were always 15 to 20 people around in front of the Water Bar. You would have thought they were drinking vodka martinis or something,” said Steve Drew, director of Greensboro’s water system.
From Washington Times ● Mar. 20, 2016
“There’s this new girl at the Bean Bar. She says French is the language of love. And that’s why she refuses to speak it.”
From "Goodbye Stranger" by Rebecca Stead
To check his memory, Bar- ton asked if there had been a telephone in the White House office.
From Time Magazine Archive
Bar- raged by questions about rising interest rates, living costs and labor demands, he replied: "You don't expect us to walk across the street and tell you fellows that things are bad, do you?"
From Time Magazine Archive
Or will it be someone I would never suspect, Ser Bar- ristan or Grey Worm or Missandei?
From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin
Actually, Stanley had been impressed when he first found out that his great-grandfather was robbed by Kissin' Kate Bar- low.
From "Holes" by Louis Sachar
A special prize was given every year to Miss Katherine Bar- low for her fabulous spiced peaches.
From "Holes" by Louis Sachar
Bar Argentina's last group-stage game - when qualification was already secured - the 27-year-old has played every minute for his country, including 120 minutes against both Cape Verde and Switzerland, which went to extra time.
From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026
Among the returning tenants is Angelini Ristorante & Bar.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026
Thea Barratt, who runs Cramptons Sports Bar in Broadstairs, Kent, said: "I took more money than I did on New Year's Eve."
From BBC ● Jul. 6, 2026
On a recent Tuesday evening, she was the headlining act at the Love Song Bar in downtown Los Angeles.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 1, 2026
She could be coerced into attending a Bar Mitzvah ceremony, but otherwise her Shabbat was a big dinner.
From "Night Owls" by A.R. Vishny
Baseball and softball leagues now compete for space with soccer in Curitiba’s parks, couples dance Cuba’s cha-cha in local bars and Cuban workers fill Curitiba’s construction sites and kitchens.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026
Not so long ago, it was tough to find Jeppson’s Malört in bars or liquor stores outside of Chicago and its suburbs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026
Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao, like many bars and pubs along the same street, was popular with locals.
From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026
Thailand's lax approach to health and safety regulations -- particularly in its bars and nightclubs -- has long raised concerns.
From Barron's ● Jul. 12, 2026
Her frown deepens as she sidesteps open comic books and half-eaten granola bars.
From "Kwame Crashes the Underworld" by Craig Kofi Farmer
Also in June, China barred Teodoro, Manila's defence secretary, and his immediate family from entering mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau.
From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026
Travelers from Ebola-affected regions are barred from entering rebel-held areas or must isolate for three weeks, according to aid workers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 16, 2026
Besigye's other lead lawyer, Kenya's Martha Karua, was barred from entering the country when she flew in to represent him last month.
From Barron's ● Jul. 13, 2026
Rodriguez, who has expressed some interest in the proposal, said city leaders had not determined how county election officials would issue separate ballots for voters who would be barred from state and national contests.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 4, 2026
An old wooden bucket sat in the opposite corner, the one nearest a barred window at the rear of the cell.
From "Half Upon a Time" by James Riley
The foul came with a one-game suspension, barring Balogun from playing against Belgium tonight at 8 Eastern.
From Slate ● Jul. 6, 2026
An arbitrator issued an interim award barring Wynn-Williams, her lawyers and others from disparaging Meta or promoting the book.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 25, 2026
Lebanese army units, meanwhile, deployed in parts of the south, barring motorists from reaching areas near Israeli troops.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 15, 2026
“I expect it to be a slow/steady decline at retail, barring any other unexpected events,” added Oil Price Information Service’s Brian Norris.
From Barron's ● Jun. 15, 2026
Standard height, fluffy black-and-white plumage with distinctive barring, yellow featherless legs and feet.
From "Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer" by Kelly Jones
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.
