barn

¹ American  

[bahrn] / bɑrn /

noun

1. a building for storing hay, grain, etc., and often for housing livestock.

2. a very large garage for buses, trucks, etc.; carbarn.

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verb (used with object)

1. to store (hay, grain, etc.) in a barn.

barn ² American  

[bahrn] / bɑrn /

noun

Physics.

1. a unit of nuclear cross section, equal to 10 −24 square centimeter. b

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barn ¹ British  

/ bɑːn /

noun

1. a large farm outbuilding, used chiefly for storing hay, grain, etc, but also for housing livestock

2. a large shed for sheltering railroad cars, trucks, etc

3. any large building, esp an unattractive one

4. (modifier) relating to a system of poultry farming in which birds are allowed to move freely within a barn

   barn eggs

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barn ² British  

/ bɑːn /

noun

1.  b.  a unit of nuclear cross section equal to 10 ^{– 28} square metre

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barn Idioms  

1. see can't hit the broad side of a barn; lock the barn door after the horse is stolen.

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Other Word Forms

• barnlike adjective

Etymology

Origin of barn¹

before 950; Middle English bern, Old English berern ( bere ( barley ¹ ) + ern, ǣrn house, cognate with Old Frisian fīaern cowhouse, Old High German erin, Gothic razn, Old Norse rann house; ransack, rest ¹ )

Origin of barn²

First recorded in 1945–50; special use of barn ¹

Example Sentences

I always imagined the countryside would be full of green grass and colorful wildflowers—maybe with a bubbling stream where ducks swim or a red barn to house the horses grazing in a nearby meadow.

From Literature

One day in September he took me out to the barn, sat me down with Rufus beside me, and told me about it.

From Literature

When they reached the barn, Nicole was off the quad again before it stopped, and running to a side door.

From Literature

Who knows, maybe Columbus decided to look for a New World one hot summer night when he got tired of staring at the same old barn.

From Literature

The place had been a working farm once and his father, who was a veterinarian, used the main barn as an office.

From Literature

Related Words

• outbuilding
• shed