barrel

noun

bar·rel | \ ˈber-əl

, ˈba-rəl\

Definition of barrel

(Entry 1 of 2)

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 diameter

2a : the amount contained in a barrel especially : the amount (such 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 quantity

3 : a drum or cylindrical part: such 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

on the barrel

: asking for or granting no credit

over a barrel

: at a disadvantage : in an awkward position

barrel

verb

barreled or barrelled; barreling or barrelling

Definition of barrel (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

: to put or pack in a barrel

intransitive verb

: to move at a high speed or without hesitation

Other Words from barrel Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Learn More about barrel

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Examples of barrel in a Sentence

Noun

Oak barrels are used for aging the wine. The price of oil is over 30 dollars a barrel. They drank a whole barrel of beer. the barrel of a gun

Verb

The truck went barreling down Main Street. She came running out of her office and went barreling past us down the hall.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Rafter Room will be open Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays with an elevated tequila and rum program and barrel-aged liquors. — Kellie Hwang, azcentral, "New in Tempe: Rafter Room lounge opens on second floor of Social Hall," 22 June 2018 The beautiful inscriptions and image of the very tree that was used to make that barrel caught Michael's [St. Supéry winemaker] and my attention when visiting Bordeaux. — Karen Lubeck, Town & Country, "The 2017 Vintage Makes Its Star Debut at the Premiere Napa Valley Wine Auction," 4 Mar. 2019 The use of unguided weapons in populated areas, like the barrel bombs dropped by the Syrian regime, looks like deliberate brutality. — David Hambling, Popular Mechanics, "Why the U.S. Is Backing Killer Robots," 14 Sep. 2018 Coffee prices start at $3; a barrel-aged coffee is $4. — Kathy Flanigan, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Vennture Brew Co. brings coffee and beer to Washington Heights neighborhood," 11 July 2018 Its parent company AB InBev has purchased a portfolio of craft breweries over the last seven years, including Goose Island Beer Co., which has a large consumer following for its barrel-aged Bourbon County Brand stouts. — Mike Snider, USA TODAY, "Guinness looks to tap into craft beer creativity with new US brewery, opening Aug. 3," 29 June 2018 Media: WGAL Brent, the European benchmark, slipped to less than $73 a barrel Thursday on expectations the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries would raise production. — James Osborne, Houston Chronicle, "Fears of oil shortage hang over OPEC meeting," 22 June 2018 In addition to some of Freetail’s standard beers, the taproom also features beers from its Ghost Pixel series and the occasional barrel-aged rarities. — San Antonio Express-News, "Father’s Day pairs best with a great beer," 14 June 2018 And if your dog has a barrel chest, make sure your dog is on its back before putting one hand over the widest part of their sternum. — Korin Miller, SELF, "Katy Perry Says Her Assistant Saved Her Dog With CPR," 7 June 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Max Muncy barreled up a ball in the sixth inning that many in the crowd of 49,541 thought was gone. — Mike Digiovanna, latimes.com, "Dodgers fall 4-1 to Giants, fail to complete series sweep," 18 June 2018 In the third inning of Wednesday's game, a skirmish ensued after Kemp barreled over Chirinos trying to score from second base, sparking the benches to clear. — Scott Boeck, USA TODAY, "MLB suspends Matt Kemp, Robinson Chirinos for on-field skirmish," 15 June 2018 The grim prediction follows one year after Hurricane Harvey barreled into the Texas coast, making landfall as a Category 4 storm. — Andrea Zelinski, Houston Chronicle, "Trump claims Texans were on boats watching Harvey," 6 June 2018 On Sunday morning, Mangkhut was barreling toward densely populated southern China and Hong Kong, where authorities raised the highest storm warnings and moved nearly a half-million people to shelter from seven cities. — Fox News, "Typhoon Mangkhut death toll climbs in Philippines," 15 Sep. 2018 But Holter’s train still is barreling down the track called mortality. — Chris Jones, chicagotribune.com, "'The Light Fantastic' is Ike Holter's 'Stranger Things' kind of thriller," 16 May 2018 Preparations for a high-risk North Korea summit are barreling forward. — Time, "John Bolton Takes the Lead as National Security Adviser as Tensions Mount Abroad," 10 Apr. 2018 In the third inning of Wednesday’s game, Kemp barreled over Chirinos at home while trying to score. — Bill Shaikin, latimes.com, "Dodgers' Matt Kemp shocked by one-game suspension," 16 June 2018 Donna Shalala, who served as health and human services secretary under President Bill Clinton and later as president of the University of Miami, barreled into the primary and raised more than $1 million in just a few weeks. — Sean Sullivan, The Seattle Times, "Trump’s choice and a liberal favorite win Florida gubernatorial nominations," 28 Aug. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'barrel.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

History and Etymology for barrel

Noun

Middle English barayl, barel, borrowed from Anglo-French barel, baril (continental Old French barril), going back to Gallo-Romance *barrīculus, probably diminutive of *barrīca "cask, barrel" — more at barricade entry 2

Verb

verbal derivative of barrel entry 1

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