Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English - bar

~1 n 1 »PLACE TO DRINK IN« a) a place where alcoholic drinks are served  (- compare pub) b) BrE one of the rooms inside a pub  (the public bar was crowded) 2 »PLACE TO BUY DRINK« a counter1 (1) where alcoholic drinks are served  (There were no free tables so they stood at the bar.) 3 coffee/snack/salad etc bar a place where a particular kind of food or drink is served 4 »BLOCK OF STH« a small block of solid material that is longer than it is wide  (a candy bar | a bar of soap) 5 »PIECE OF METAL/WOOD« a length of metal or wood put across a door, window etc to keep it shut or to prevent people going in or out  (A lot of houses had bars across the windows.) 6 »MUSIC« a group of notes and rests (rest1 (12)), separated from other groups by vertical lines, into which a line of written music is divided  (She hummed a few bars of the song.) 7 a bar to (doing) sth something that prevents you from achieving something that you want  (Bad English is a bar to getting a good job.) 8 »GROUP OF LAWYERS« law a) the bar BrE the group of people who are barristers (=lawyers who have the right to speak in a court of law) b) AmE an organization consisting of people who are lawyers 9 be called to the bar a) BrE to become a barrister b) AmE to become a lawyer 10 »PILE OF SAND/STONES« a long pile of sand or stones under the water at the entrance to a harbour1 11 »COLOUR/LIGHT« a narrow band of colour or light 12 »UNIFORMS« a narrow band of metal or cloth worn on a military uniform to show rank 13 »HEATER« the part of an electric heater that provides heat and has a red light 14 behind bars informal in prison ~2 v barred, barring 1 also bar up to shut a door or window using a bar or piece of wood so that people cannot get in or out 2 to officially prevent someone from entering a place or from doing something  (bar sb from)  (Members voted to bar women from the club.) 3 to prevent people from going somewhere by placing something in their way  (The road ahead was barred by a solid line of policemen. | bar sb's way (=prevent someone passing you by standing in front of them))  (A security guard barred her way.) ~3 prep 1 formal except  (No work's been done in the office today, bar a little typing.) 2 bar none used to emphasize that someone is the best of a particular group  (He's the most talented actor in the country, bar none.)  (- see also barring)