Meaning of bar In English

• 0 a place where drinks, especially alcoholic drinks, are sold and drunk, or the area in such a place where the person serving the drinks stands:

  • They noticed him going into the hotel bar.

  • There weren't any free tables, so I sat at the bar.

  • Why don't you ask the guy behind the bar (= serving drinks there)?

• 1 a long, thin, straight piece of metal or wood:

  • The gorilla rattled the bars of its cage.

  • a bar of soap

  • a chocolate bar

• 2 one of the small equal parts into which a piece of music is divided, containing a fixed number of beats:

  • Waltzes have three beats in/to the bar (= in each bar).

• 3 a stripe

• 4 something that prevents a particular event or development from happening:

  • A lack of formal education is no bar to becoming rich.

• 5 to prevent something or someone from doing something or going somewhere, or to not allow something:

  • The centre of the town was barred to football supporters.

  • The incident led to him being barred from the country/barred from entering the country.

  • I tried to push past her but she barred my way/path (= stood in front of me and prevented me from getting past).

• 6 to put bars across something, especially to keep it closed:

  • We barred the door to stop anyone getting into the room.

• 7 except:

  • Everyone is leaving the village, bar the very old and ill.

  • They're the best songwriters of this century, bar none (= no one else is better).

• 8 lawyers who are allowed to argue a case in a higher court

• 9 a strong pole, esp. one made of metal, used as a support, to force something to move, or to block an opening:

  • He stuck his hand through the bars of the cage

  • a granola bar

• 10 a place, sometimes within a restaurant, where alcoholic drinks are served, or a long, high table in such a place along which people stand or sit while drinking:

  • He used to just sit in a bar and listen to jazz.

  • They sat at the bar and chatted with the bartender.

• 11 one of the small equal parts into which a piece of music is divided, containing a fixed number of beats:

  • He played four bars of music.

• 12 all lawyers considered as a group:

  • She passed the Massachusetts bar exam on her first try.

• 13 to prevent someone from doing something or going somewhere:

  • Protesters tried to break into the building, but the police barred their way.

• 14 to put a strong pole or poles across an opening:

  • We barred the windows as protection against burglars.

• 15 except for:

  • He’s the greatest pitcher of all time, bar none (= no one else is better).

• 16 something that prevents a particular event or development from happening:

  • a bar (to sth) A lack of formal education does not have to be a bar to success in business and politics.

• 17 to prevent something or someone from doing something or going somewhere, or to refuse to allow something:

  • bar sb/sth from (doing) sth Lawyers on both sides have been barred from discussing the case in the press.

  • The government voted to bar the import of exotic birds.

• 18 the group of barristers (= lawyers who are allowed to argue a case in a higher court), or the profession of such lawyers:

  • a member of the bar

  • He was called to the bar (= became a barrister) in 2006.

  • It has been a privilege to have practised at the Bar for 47 years.

• 19 all lawyers considered as a group, or the profession of law:

  • Effectiveness requires that other members of the bar trust your word and credibility.

  • She was admitted to the bar (= became a lawyer) in her early thirties.