bar

noun (1), often attributive

\ ˈbär

Definition of bar

(Entry 1 of 9)

1a : 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

5a : 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

behind bars

: in jail putting criminals behind bars

bar

verb

barred; barring

Definition of bar (Entry 2 of 9)

transitive verb

1a : 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

3a : 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.

4a : 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

preposition

Definition of bar (Entry 3 of 9)

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

bar

noun (2)

Definition of bar (Entry 4 of 9)

: a unit of pressure equal to 100,000 pascals

bar

abbreviation (1)

Definition of bar (Entry 5 of 9)

1 barometer; barometric

2 barrel

Bar

abbreviation (2)

Definition of Bar (Entry 6 of 9)

Baruch

BAr

abbreviation (3)

Definition of BAr (Entry 7 of 9)

bachelor of architecture

BAR

abbreviation (4)

Definition of BAR (Entry 8 of 9)

Browning automatic rifle

bar-

combining form

variants: or baro-

Definition of bar- (Entry 9 of 9)

: weight : pressure barometer

Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More About bar

Keep scrolling for more

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

First Known Use of bar

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

History and Etymology for bar

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

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More About bar

Dictionary Entries Near bar

bapu

bar

Bar

Statistics for bar

Last Updated

4 Oct 2021

Cite this Entry

“Bar.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bar. Accessed 20 Oct. 2021.

Style: MLA

MLA

Chicago

APA

Merriam-Webster Check Mark Icon

Seen & Heard

People are talking about

Keep scrolling for more

More Definitions for bar

bar

verb

English Language Learners Definition of bar (Entry 2 of 2)

: to put a bar or a set of bars in front of a door, window, etc., so that people cannot go in or out of it

: to put something in a road, path, etc., so that people cannot get by

: to prevent or forbid (someone) from doing something

See the full definition for bar in the English Language Learners Dictionary

bar

preposition

English Language Learners Definition of bar (Entry 3 of 2)

—used in the phrase bar none to emphasize that a statement is completely true

: except for : barring

bar

noun

\ ˈbär

Kids Definition of bar

(Entry 1 of 3)

1 : a usually slender rigid piece (as of wood or metal) that has a specific use (as for a lever or barrier)

2 : a rectangular solid piece or block of something a bar of soap candy bar

3 : a counter on which alcoholic drinks are served

4 : a place of business for the sale of alcoholic drinks

5 : a part of a place of business where a particular food or drink is served a snack bar

6 : something that blocks the way Police set up bars across the road.

7 : a submerged or partly submerged bank along a shore or in a river

8 : a court of law

9 : the profession of law

10 : a straight stripe, band, or line longer than it is wide

11 : a vertical line across a musical staff marking equal measures of time

12 : measure entry 1 sense 6

bar

verb

barred; barring

Kids Definition of bar (Entry 2 of 3)

1 : to fasten with a bar Bar the doors!

2 : to block off Our path was barred by a chain.

3 : to shut out barred from the meeting

bar

preposition

Kids Definition of bar (Entry 3 of 3)

: with the exception of She is the best reader in the class, bar none.

bar

noun, often attributive

\ ˈbär

Medical Definition of bar

(Entry 1 of 4)

1a : 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

transitive verb

barred; barring

Medical Definition of bar (Entry 2 of 4)

: to cut free and ligate (a vein in a horse's leg) above and below the site of a projected operative procedure

bar

noun

Medical Definition of bar (Entry 3 of 4)

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

bar

abbreviation

Medical Definition of bar (Entry 4 of 4)

barometer; barometric

Keep scrolling for more

bar

noun, often attributive

\ ˈbär

Legal Definition of bar

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a : 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

2a : 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 suit — Martino v. McDonald's System, Inc., 598 F.2d 1079 (1979) — compare collateral estoppel at estoppel sense 2a, merger sense 4, res judicata sense 2

at bar

: before the court the case at bar

at the bar

: in the legal profession pressures faced by women at the bar— R. E. Hauser

bar

transitive verb

barred; barring

Legal Definition of bar (Entry 2 of 2)

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 claims — Roach v. Teamsters Local Union No. 688, 595 F.2d 446 (1979) — see also estop — compare merge sense 2