barrel

Main Entry:: ¹bar·rel
Pronunciation:: \ˈber-əl, ˈba-rəl\
Function:: noun
Etymology:: Middle English barel, from Anglo-French baril
Date:: 14th century

1: a round bulging vessel of greater length than breadth that is usually made of staves bound with hoops and has flat ends of equal diameter2 a: the amount contained in a barrel; especially : the amount (as 31 gallons of fermented beverage or 42 gallons of petroleum) fixed for a certain commodity used as a unit of measure b: a great quantity3: a drum or cylindrical part: as a: the discharging tube of a gun b: the part of a fountain pen or of a pencil containing the ink or lead c: a cylindrical or tapering housing containing the optical components of a photographic-lens system and the iris diaphragm d: the fuel outlet from the carburetor on a gasoline engine 4: the trunk of a quadruped

— bar·reled

\-əld\ adjective

— on the barrel

: asking for or granting no credit

— over a barrel

: at a disadvantage : in an awkward position

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