ˈbærəl n. & v. --n. 1 a cylindrical
container usu. bulging
out in
the middle, traditionally
made of
wooden staves with metal hoops
round them. 2 the contents of
this. 3 a
measure of
capacity, usu. varying
from 30 to 40 gallons. 4 a cylindrical
tube forming
part of an
object such as a
gun or a
pen. 5 the
belly and loins of a four-legged
animal, e.g. a
horse. --v. (barrelled, barrelling; US barreled, barreling) 1 tr. put
into a barrel or barrels. 2 intr. US sl.
drive fast. øbarrel-chested having a
large rounded
chest. barrel-organ a
mechanical musical instrument in
which a rotating pin-studded
cylinder acts on a
series of pipe-valves, strings, or metal tongues. barrel
roll an aerobatic
manoeuvre in which an
aircraft follows a
single turn of a
spiral while rolling
once about its longitudinal axis. barrel
vault Archit. a vault forming a
half cylinder.
over a barrel colloq. in a
helpless position; at a person's
mercy. [ME f. OF baril perh. f. Rmc.: rel to BAR(1)]
