bar
Looking for the meaning of bar? Explore definitions, parts of speech, and usage examples below.
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A solid, more or less rigid object of metal or wood with a uniform cross-section smaller than its length.
“The window was protected by steel bars.”
A solid metal object with uniform (round, square, hexagonal, octagonal or rectangular) cross-section; in the US its smallest dimension is 1/4 inch or greater, a piece of thinner material being called a strip.
“Ancient Sparta used iron bars instead of handy coins in more valuable alloy, to physically discourage the use of money.”
A cuboid piece of any solid commodity.
“bar of chocolate”
A broad shaft, or band, or stripe.
“a bar of colour”
A long, narrow drawn or printed rectangle, cuboid or cylinder, especially as used in a bar code or a bar chart.
Any of various lines used as punctuation or diacritics, such as the pipe ⟨|⟩, fraction bar (as in 12), and strikethrough (as in Ⱥ), formerly including oblique marks such as the slash.
The sign indicating that the characteristic of a logarithm is negative, conventionally placed above the digit(s) to show that it applies to the characteristic only and not to the mantissa.
A similar sign indicating that the charge on a particle is negative (and that consequently the particle is in fact an antiparticle).
A business licensed to sell alcoholic drinks for consumption on the premises, or the premises themselves; public house.
“The street was lined with all-night bars.”
The counter of such premises.
“Step up to the bar and order a drink.”
A counter, or simply a cabinet, from which alcoholic drinks are served in a private house or a hotel room.
(by extension, in combinations such as coffee bar, juice bar etc.) Premises or a counter serving any type of beverage.
An establishment where alcohol and sometimes other refreshments are served.
An informal establishment selling food to be consumed on the premises.
“a burger bar”
An establishment offering cosmetic services.
“a nail bar; a brow bar”
An official order or pronouncement that prohibits some activity.
“The club has lifted its bar on women members.”
Anything that obstructs, hinders, or prevents; an obstruction; a barrier.
(whimsical, derived from fubar) A metasyntactic variable representing an unspecified entity, often the second in a series, following foo.
“Suppose we have two objects, foo and bar.”
(Parliament) A dividing line (physical or notional) in the chamber of a legislature beyond which only members and officials may pass.
The railing surrounding the part of a courtroom in which the judges, lawyers, defendants and witnesses stay
"the Bar" or "the bar" The bar exam, the legal licensing exam.
“He's studying hard to pass the Bar this time; he's failed it twice before.”
(metonym, "the Bar", "the bar") Collectively, lawyers or the legal profession; specifically applied to barristers in some countries but including all lawyers in others.
“He was called to the bar, he became a barrister.”
One of an array of bar-shaped symbols that display the level of something, such as wireless signal strength or battery life remaining.
“I don't have any bars in the middle of this desert.”
A vertical line across a musical staff dividing written music into sections, typically of equal durational value.
One of those musical sections.
A horizontal pole that must be crossed in high jump and pole vault
Any level of achievement regarded as a challenge to be overcome.
(most codes) The crossbar.
The central divider between the inner and outer table of a backgammon board, where stones are placed if they are hit.
An addition to a military medal, on account of a subsequent act
A linear shoaling landform feature within a body of water.
A ridge or succession of ridges of sand or other substance, especially a formation extending across the mouth of a river or harbor or off a beach, and which may obstruct navigation. (FM 55-501).
One of the ordinaries in heraldry; a fess.
A city gate, in some British place names.
“Potter's Bar”
A drilling or tamping rod.
A vein or dike crossing a lode.
A gatehouse of a castle or fortified town.
The part of the crust of a horse's hoof which is bent inwards towards the frog at the heel on each side, and extends into the centre of the sole.
(in the plural) The space between the tusks and grinders in the upper jaw of a horse, in which the bit is placed.
Understanding "bar"
The word **"bar"** is a **noun** in the English language. It is phonetically pronounced as **/bɑː/**. Explore the detailed meaning, morphological structure, and usage examples for **"bar"** in our dictionary below.
The English language is incredibly vast, and diving into the definition of the word "bar" provides a perfect example of its linguistic depth. Categorized primarily as a noun, the term "bar" holds specific syntactical roles within a sentence, allowing speakers and writers to convey precise meaning. Understanding how this word functions is an excellent step towards mastering advanced English vocabulary and improving overall reading comprehension.
For those looking to perfect their spoken English, noting the phonetic pronunciation of "bar" is crucial. It is typically transcribed as /bɑː/. Proper enunciation ensures that your intended message is received clearly, preventing miscommunication in both formal and casual settings. Linguistic scholars often track the phonological evolution of words like "bar" to understand broader historical shifts in dialects and accents across different English-speaking populations.
When deciding how to use "bar" in everyday communication, it helps to look at exactly how it operates as a noun. In professional writing, academic essays, and creative literature, choosing the perfect vocabulary word can drastically elevate the tone of the text. Because "bar" carries its own unique connotations and denotations, swapping it for a simpler synonym might dilute the impact of your sentence.
Our comprehensive dictionary tool is designed to provide immediate, reliable definitions for thousands of terms, including "bar". By consistently exploring the nuances of vocabulary—including phonetics (/bɑː/), part of speech (noun), and usage examples—you can significantly expand your linguistic repertoire. Bookmark this page as a quick reference tool whenever you encounter "bar" in reading materials or wish to incorporate it into your active vocabulary.
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How do I use bar in a sentence?
Refer to the usage examples above to see how "bar" can be used in academic and casual conversations.