bar

1 of 9

noun (1)

often attributive
1
a
: a straight piece (as of wood or metal) that is longer than it is wide and has any of various uses (as for a lever, support, barrier, or fastening)
windows with bars across them
a door secured by an iron bar
b
: a solid piece or block of material that is longer than it is wide
a bar of gold
a candy bar
c
: a usually rigid piece (as of wood or metal) longer than it is wide that is used as a handle or support
especially : a handrail used by ballet dancers to maintain balance while exercising
2
: something that obstructs or prevents passage, progress, or action: such as
a
law : the destruction of an action (see action sense 5) or claim
a statute of limitations bar to the present action
also : a plea or objection that effects such destruction
b
: an intangible or nonphysical impediment
His poor attitude was a bar to his success.
c
: a submerged or partly submerged bank (as of sand) along a shore or in a river often obstructing navigation
3
law
a(1)
: the railing in a courtroom that encloses the place about the judge where prisoners are stationed or where the business of the court is transacted in civil cases
(2)
: court, tribunal
The younger judge brought a fresh viewpoint to the bar.
(3)
: a particular system of courts
practices at the New York bar
(4)
: an authority or tribunal that hands down judgment
will be judged at the bar of public opinion
b(1)
: the barrier in the English Inns of Court that formerly separated the seats of the benchers or readers (see reader sense 2) from the body of the hall occupied by the students
(2)
: the whole body of barristers or lawyers qualified to practice in the courts of any jurisdiction
dreams of being admitted to the bar
(3)
: the profession of barrister or lawyer
… heighten respect for members of the bar and judiciary …W. L. Hoyt
(4)
US : the test that a person must pass in order to become eligible to work as a lawyer
passed the bar and went into private practice
the bar exam/examination
4
: a straight stripe, band, or line much longer than it is wide: such as
a
heraldry : one of two or more horizontal stripes on a heraldic shield
b
: a metal or embroidered strip worn on a usually military uniform especially to indicate rank (as of a company officer) or service (see service entry 1 sense 6b)
a second lieutenant's bar
5
a
: a counter at which food or especially alcoholic beverages are served
We sat at the bar while we waited for a table.
b
: a room or establishment where alcoholic drinks and sometimes food are served : barroom
They went to a bar for drinks.
c
: shop sense 2b
a coffee bar
6
music
a
: a vertical line across the musical staff before the initial measure accent (see accent entry 1 sense 5)
b
: measure
Sing the first two bars.
7
textiles : a lace and embroidery joining covered with buttonhole stitch for connecting various parts of the pattern in needlepoint lace and cutwork
8
: standard
wants to raise the bar for approving new drugs
9
: a strip along the edge of a computer window that contains commonly used options or icons
The horizontal navigation bar across the top and bottom enables users to move quickly from primary section to primary section within the site …Editor & Publisher

bar

2 of 9

verb

barred; barring

transitive verb

1
a
: to fasten with a long, narrow piece of wood, metal, or other material : to fasten with a bar (see bar entry 1 sense 1a)
b
: to place bars across to prevent ingress or egress
bar the door
2
: to mark with straight stripes, bands, or lines that are much longer than they are wide : to mark with bars (see bar entry 1 sense 4) : stripe
a feather barred with blue
3
a
: to confine or shut in by or as if by bars (see bar entry 1 sense 1a)
barring prisoners in their cells
b
: to set aside : to not take into consideration : rule out
did not bar the possibility of further measures
c
: to keep out : exclude
often used with from
Women were barred from joining the club.
4
a
: to put forth legal objection to (something, such as a claim or action)
final judgment barred the subsequent claim
: to prevent (a party) from bringing a claim or action
Plaintiffs are barred from litigating such claims.
b
: prevent, forbid
a decision barring his participation

bar

3 of 9

preposition

: except
the country's most popular actor, bar none

bar

4 of 9

noun (2)

: a unit of pressure equal to 100,000 pascals

bar

5 of 9

abbreviation (1)

1
barometer; barometric
2
barrel

Bar

6 of 9

abbreviation (2)

Baruch

BAr

7 of 9

abbreviation (3)

bachelor of architecture

BAR

8 of 9

abbreviation (4)

Browning automatic rifle

bar-

9 of 9

combining form

variants or baro-
: weight : pressure
barometer
Phrases
behind bars
: in jail
putting criminals behind bars

Examples of bar in a Sentence

Verb He barred the door as soon as he got in. All the windows and doors were barred. A herd of goats was barring the road. Nothing barred them from meeting together. The judge will bar the jurors from talking to reporters. A federal court has barred the group from using the name. The decision bars the possibility of additional development in the area. forms of punishment barred by the Constitution Preposition They have lost every match, bar one. everyone in the company is invited, bar none
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Since October, Israel has barred entry to most of the 180,000 Palestinians who previously worked in Israel, while the extremist Israeli finance minister will not transfer tax funds to the PA, to punish it for paying salaries and pensions to its employees in Gaza. Raja Khalidi, Foreign Affairs, 19 Mar. 2024 Russia’s Central Election Commission, which routinely bars genuine opposition candidates from running against Putin and airbrushes manipulations, announced the turnout at more than 77 percent. Catherine Belton, Washington Post, 18 Mar. 2024 The scrutiny over the Center for Tech and Civic Life grants is fueling an April 2 referendum on a constitutional amendment that would bar state agencies and local governments from using private grant money to help administer elections. Alison Dirr, Journal Sentinel, 18 Mar. 2024 Vaccine debate flares — again Lawmakers are also split over the return of Rep. Steve Montenegro's bill that would bar the state health department from requiring vaccines that do not have full FDA approval for school attendance. Mary Jo Pitzl, The Arizona Republic, 17 Mar. 2024 Last spring, for example, Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a new law prohibiting puberty blockers and hormone therapy for minors, and another barring transgender people from using the restroom that matches their gender identity. Nada Hassanein, USA TODAY, 15 Mar. 2024 Since 2014, Oakland has barred officers from pursuing suspects who are not armed with a gun or involved in a forcible or violent crime. James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2024 The European Union’s law, which was passed last year, bars products that use palm oil and other commodities like rubber and wood that come from forestland that was converted to agriculture after 2020. Patricia Cohen Jes Aznar, New York Times, 14 Mar. 2024 Youngkin, who is halfway through his four-year term and, like all Virginia governors, barred from seeking a second consecutive term, has worked since January to build support among lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. Laura Vozzella, Washington Post, 7 Mar. 2024
Noun
While performing shows at various Greater Cincinnati bars, Mackey started gaining a following. Haadiza Ogwude, The Enquirer, 21 Mar. 2024 Walk through the door and down the stairs to find an energetic and swanky bar. Carlos Rico, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Mar. 2024 The apartment-style suite also has a private office, three powder rooms, a dining room for 16 guests and a six-seat bar that leads into a rooftop garden. Nicole Fell, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Mar. 2024 The government’s charges against Apple will probably face a high legal bar in court, if the lawsuit makes it that far. Shira Ovide, Washington Post, 21 Mar. 2024 Like a bar that doesn't serve alcohol, dry promotions lack the heady ingredient that most clearly signals how much a business values an employee — money. Anne Marie Lee, CBS News, 20 Mar. 2024 The 32-year-old Navy veteran was holding a metal bar. Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2024 Along with the project’s residential offerings, there will also be a 125-key Nobu hotel, a Nobu restaurant, and a rooftop bar. Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 20 Mar. 2024 Gus Faucher, chief economist at PNC Financial Services, said he was impressed by the breadth of hiring last month: Among industries, health care companies added 67,000 jobs, government at all levels 52,000, restaurants and bars 42,000, construction companies 23,000 and retailers 19,000. Paul Wiseman, Quartz, 9 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bar.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English barre, from Anglo-French, from Vulgar Latin *barra

Verb

Middle English barren, borrowed from Anglo-French barrer, derivative of barre bar entry 1

Preposition

derivative of bar entry 2

Noun (2)

German, from Greek baros

Combining form

Greek baros; akin to Greek barys heavy — more at grieve

First Known Use

Noun (1)

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Preposition

1723, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1910, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bar was in the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near bar

Cite this Entry

“Bar.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bar. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

bar

1 of 4 noun
1
a
: a straight piece (as of metal or wood) that is longer than it is wide
b
: a usually rectangular piece or block of material
a bar of soap
2
: something that hinders or blocks : obstacle
3
: a bank (as of sand) partly or entirely under water along a shore or in a river
4
a
: the railing in a courtroom around the place where the business of the court is carried on
b
: a court of law
c
: the profession of law
5
6
a
: a counter on which alcoholic drinks or food is served
b
7
a
: a vertical line across the musical staff before the beginning of a measure
8
: standard entry 1 sense 2a
raise the bar for improving new medicines

bar

2 of 4 verb
barred; barring
1
: to fasten with a bar
bar the door
2
: to mark with bars : stripe
gray feathers barred with brown
3
: to block off : close
bar the road with a chain
4
a
: to keep out : exclude
bar reporters from a meeting
b
: prevent sense 1, forbid
the judge barred them from talking to reporters

bar

3 of 4 preposition
: with the exception of
bar none

bar

4 of 4 noun
: a unit of pressure equal to 100,000 pascals
Etymology

Noun

Middle English barre "bar," from early French barre (same meaning)

Noun

from German Bar "unit of pressure," from Greek baros "weight, pressure"

Medical Definition

bar

1 of 4 noun
often attributive
1
a
: a piece of metal that connects parts of a removable partial denture
b
: the part of the wall of a horse's hoof that is bent inward toward the frog at the heel on each side and that extends toward the center of the sole
2
: a straight stripe, band, or line much longer than it is wide: as
a
: a transverse ridge on the roof of a horse's mouth
usually used in plural
b
: the space in front of the molar teeth of a horse in which the bit is placed

bar

2 of 4 transitive verb
barred; barring
: to cut free and ligate (a vein in a horse's leg) above and below the site of a projected operative procedure

bar

3 of 4 noun
: a unit of pressure equal to 100,000 pascals or to one million dynes per square centimeter or to 0.9869 atmosphere

bar

4 of 4 abbreviation
barometer; barometric

Legal Definition

bar

1 of 2 noun
often attributive
1
a
: the railing in a courtroom that encloses the area around the judge where prisoners are stationed in criminal cases or where the business of the court is transacted in civil cases compare bench sense 1, dock, jury box, stand
b
: court, tribunal
the younger judge brought a fresh viewpoint to the bar
2
a
: the whole body of lawyers
especially : those qualified to practice in the courts of a particular jurisdiction
admitted to the Arizona bar
the bankruptcy bar
compare bench sense 3b
b
: the profession or occupation of lawyer
c
: bar examination
passed the bar
3
: something that prevents admission, progress, or action: as
a
: an intangible impediment, obstacle, or barrier
consent of the victim is a bar to conviction
b
: the permanent preclusion of a claim or action especially due to the loss of a previous suit based on the same cause of action and between the same parties
its earlier successful suit against the purchaser for the price was a bar to the present suitMartino v. McDonald's System, Inc., 598 F.2d 1079 (1979)
compare collateral estoppel at estoppel sense 2a, merger sense 4, res judicata sense 2

bar

2 of 2 transitive verb
barred; barring
1
: to keep out : exclude
cannot bar the items from sale
2
: to prevent from doing or accomplishing (something)
plaintiff's conduct may bar her recovery
the contract bars his reinstatement
3
: preclude: as
a
: to act as a bar to (as a claim or action)
final judgment barred the subsequent claim
b
: to prevent (a party) from bringing a claim or action
plaintiffs are barred by the judgment…from relitigating their claimsRoach v. Teamsters Local Union No. 688, 595 F.2d 446 (1979)
see also estop compare merge sense 2
barrable adjective

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