Forms: 2–7 barre, 3–7 barr, 5– bar. [ME. barre, a. OF. barre (= Pr., It., Sp., Pg. barra):—late L. barra of unknown origin. The Celtic derivation accepted by Diez is now discredited: OIr. barr ‘bushy top,’ and its cognates, in no way suit the sense; Welsh bar ‘bar’ is from Eng., and Breton barren ‘bar’ from Fr. (The development of sense had to a great extent taken place before the word was adopted in English.)]
I. A piece of any material long in proportion to its thickness or width.
* Of shape only.
1. gen. A straight piece of wood, metal, or other rigid material, long in proportion to its thickness.
1388. Wyclif, Num. iv. 10. Thei schulen putte in barris [1382 beryng staues].
1690. W. Walker, Idiom. Anglo-Lat., 38. To beat down the statute [? statue] with bars.
1753. Chambers, Cycl. Supp., Bar, among printers, denotes a piece of iron … whereby the screw of the press is turned in printing.
1815. Scott, Guy M., lvii. A pallet-bed was placed close to the bar of iron.
c. 1860. H. Stuart, Seaman’s Catech., 11. On the barrel [of a rifle] is the … sliding bar.
1881. C. Edwards, Organs, 50. The sound-bars are glued in place.
1881. Raymond, Mining Gloss., Bar, a drilling or tamping-rod.
fig. 1388. Wyclif, Isa. xxvii. 1. The Lord schal visite in his hard swerd … on leuyathan, serpent, a barre [1382 a leuour.]
1684. Charnock, Attrib. God, II. 6. Leviathan is here called a bar-serpent … as mighty men are called bars in Scripture.
2. spec. a. A thick rod of iron or wood used in a trial of strength, the players contending which of them could throw or pitch it farthest; the distance thrown was measured in lengths of the bar. Hence in obs. fig. phrases.
1531. Elyot, Gov., I. xvi. Throwyng the heuy stone or barre playing at tenyse.
1600. Rowlands, Lett. Humours Blood, iv. 64. To pitch the barre, or to shoote off a gunne.
1715. Prior, Alma, I. 311. While John for ninepins does declare, And Roger loves to pitch the bar.
1801. Strutt, Sports & Past., Introd. 13. To amuse himself in archery, casting of the bar, wrestling.
fig. 1647. Cleveland, Char. Lond. Diurn., 5. First, Stamford slew him: then Waller outkilled that halfe a Barre.
1712. Addison, Spect., No. 538, ¶ 5. I did not disbelieve … but yet I thought some in the company had been endeavouring who should pitch the bar farthest.
a. 1733. North, Lives, II. 37. The objectors … outdo, many bars, all that themselves found fault with.
1742. Richardson, Pamela, III. 324. Here’s a mere Baby … outdoes ’em by a Bar’s Length.
† b. An iron bar used in breaking criminals on the wheel. Obs.
1577. Harrison, England, II. xi. 223. We have use neither of the wheele nor of the barre.
3. A narrow four-sided block of metal or material as manufactured, e.g., of iron or soap; an ingot of precious metal. Cf. bar-iron in IV.
1595. T. Maynarde, Drake’s Voy. (1849), 18. We got here twenty barres of silver.
1753. Chambers, Cycl. Supp., Bars of Iron are made of the metal of the sows and pigs, as they come from the furnaces.
1755. Johnson, Bar, in African traffick, is used for a denomination of price; payment being formerly made to the Negroes almost wholly in iron bars.
1833. Marryat, P. Simple, iv. Four cakes of Windsor, and two bars of yellow for washing.
1876. Humphrey, Coin Collect. Man., ii. 9. Bars form a sort of transition stage between the weighed money and true coins.
† 4. An ornamental transverse band on a girdle, saddle, etc.; subseq. an ornamental boss of any shape. Also, a girdle or band. Obs.
c. 1340. Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 162. Boþe þe barres of his belt & oþer blyþe stones.
c. 1385. Chaucer, L. G. W., 1200. With sadyll rede enbrowderyd with delyte, Of gold the barres vpp enbosid high.
c. 1400. Rom. Rose, 1103. The barres were of gold ful fyne, Upon a tyssu of satyne.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, XXXIII. 13019. Orestes … comaundet, Bare to the barre bryng him his moder.
1433. Test. Ebor. (1855), II. 48. Unam zonam ornatam cum octo barres.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 24. Barre of a gyrdylle, or oþer harneys, stipa.
1562. J. Heywood, Prov. & Epigr. (1867), 179. The barres of mens breeches haue such strong stitching.
b. A small slip of silver fixed transversely below the clasp of a medal, as an additional mark of distinction.
1864. Boutell, Heraldry Hist. & Pop., xx. 353. A Bar is attached to the ribbon for every act of such gallantry as would have won the Cross.
1885. Standard, 2 March, 3/5. He affixed the medals and bars to the breasts of the following recipients.
5. A straight strip or stripe, narrow in proportion to its length, a broad line; e.g., of color.
c. 1440. in Househ. Ord. (1790), 460. Lay orethwart him [a roast pig] one barre of silver foile, and another of golde.
1609. C. Butler, Fem. Mon., i. (1623), B iij. In each joynt a golden Barre in stead of those three whitish rings which other Bees haue.
1806. Wordsw., Sonn. Liberty, Ode, 28. A blue bar of solid cloud Across the setting sun.
1878. Gurney, Crystallog., 10. The ‘bar’ or line, drawn over the 2 denotes that [etc.].
fig. 1865. Carlyle, Fredk. Gt., VII. XVIII. ii. 122. The brightest triumph has a bar of black in it.
6. Her. An honorable ordinary, formed (like the fess) by two parallel lines drawn horizontally across the shield, and including not more than its fifth part. Bar sinister: in popular, but erroneous phrase, the heraldic sign of illegitimacy; BATON, BEND, (sinister). Bar-gemel: a double bar, or small bars placed in couplets.
1592. Wyrley, Armorie, 97. Sir Lewis Harcourt came, Two golden bars that bare in field of guls.
1610. Gwillim, Heraldry, II. vi. (1660), 70. A Barre is … drawne overthwart the Escocheon … it containeth the fifth part of the Field. Ibid., 91. Termed in Blazon Barres Gemelles of the Latine word Gemellus, which signifieth a Twin.
1727–51. Chambers, Cycl., s.v., The bar may be placed in any part of the field.
1823. Scott, Quentin D., II. xviii. 358. My bar sinister may never be surmounted by the coronet of Croye.
7. Farriery. a. (usually pl.) The transverse ridged divisions of a horse’s palate: below those which lie between the molar and canine teeth the bar of the bit is inserted. b. The recurved ends of the wall or crust of a horse’s hoof, meeting at an acute angle in the center of the sole.
1617. Markham, Caval., II. 52. It giueth libertie to the tongue, offendeth not the barres, and keepeth the mouth in tendernesse.
1725. Bradley, Fam. Dict., s.v. Yellows, After they have blooded the Horse … in the third Bar, on the pallate of the Mouth.
1831. Youatt, Horse, xviii. (1872), 398. Smiths … too often habitually pursue … the injurious practice of removing the bars [of the hoof].
1884. E. Anderson, Horsemanship, I. v. 17. The curb bit should … take a bearing upon the bare bars of the mouth.
** Of shape and confining purpose.
8. esp. A stake or rod of iron or wood used to fasten a gate, door, hatch, etc.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 131. He … tobrec þa irene barren of helle.
c. 1325. E. E. Allit. P., B. 884. Steken þe ȝates stonharde wyth stalworth barrez.
1388. Wyclif, Ex. xxvi. 26. Fyve barris of trees … to holde togidere the tablis.
a. 1420. Occleve, De Reg. Princ., 1104. And up is broke lok, haspe, barre, and pynne.
1535. Coverdale, Judg. xvi. 3. Toke holde on both ye syde portes of ye gate … and lifte them out with the barres.
1667. Milton, P. L., II. 877. And every Bolt and Bar … with ease Unfast’ns.
1867. Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., Hatch-bars, flat iron bars to lock over the hatches.
9. A straight, strong rod of iron or wood fixed across any way of ingress or egress, or forming part of a fence, gate, grating, or the like.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Knt.’s T., 219. Thurgh a wyndow thikke of many a barre Of Iren.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 24. Barre abowte a graue or awter.
a. 1658. Lovelace, To Althea. Stone walls do not a prison make, Nor iron bars a cage.
1711. Addison, Spect., No. 57, ¶ 3. She … makes nothing of leaping over a six-bar gate.
1818. Scott, Rob Roy, xxii. Like a fine horse brought up to the leaping-bar.
1883. Harper’s Mag., Sept., 491/1. The cows lowing at the pasture bars.
10. One of the series of iron rods fixed in the front of a grate or bottom of a boiler furnace to prevent the fuel from falling out.
1677. Moxon, Mech. Exerc. (1703), 13. A course sort of Iron … fit for Fire-bars.
1866. G. Macdonald, Ann. Q. Neighb., xxxi. (1878), 541. Thrust it between the bars, pushing it in fiercely with the poker.
11. A transverse piece of wood making fast the head of a wine-cask. (If a cask is lying horizontal, wine is drawn from ‘below the bar,’ when it is more than half empty.)
1520. Whitinton, Vulg., 13 b. This wyne drynketh lowe or under the barre, Hoc vinum languescit.
1576. Lambarde, Peramb. Kent (1826), 385. All the emptie hogsheads … and (for sixe tunne of wine) so many as should be drunke under the barre.
1611. Cotgr., Empeigner le bout d’vne douve, to pin the barre of a peece of caske.
II. That which confines, encloses, limits, or obstructs, with no special reference to shape.
* A material barrier.
12. gen. A material structure, forming a secure enclosure, or obstructing entry or egress; a barrier.
c. 1325. E. E. Allit. P., B. 963. Þe grete barrez of þe abyme he barst vp.
1388. Wyclif, Jonah li. 7. The barris of erthe closiden me togidere.
1667. Milton, P. L., X. 417. With rebounding surge the barrs assaild.
1700. Dryden, Pal. & Arc., 1024. In equal fight From out the bars to force his opposite.
1867. Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., Bar, a boom formed of huge trees or spars lashed together, moored transversely across a port.
1872. Browning, Fifine, cxxii. That caverned passage … a grim Bar-sinister, soon blocks abrupt your path.
13. spec. A barrier closing the entrance into a city, formed originally of ‘posts, rails, and a chain.’ Afterwards applied to the gate by which these were replaced, as in Temple-bar, and the Bars or gates of York, etc.
c. 1220. Leg. St. Kath., 2348. Bihefden hire utewið þe barren of þe burhe.
1410. E. E. Wills (1882), 16. The Cherch of seynt Clementis wythowtyn Templebarr.
1490. Caxton, Eneydos, lvi. 153. Slawghter made bothe of men and of horses by fore the barres of the towne.
1645. Pagitt, Heresiogr. (1647), 35. A house without the Barres at Algate.
1691. Ray, N. Countr. Wds., 6. Barr, a Gate of a City, as Bootham Bar, Monkbar … in the City of York.
1843. Penny Cycl., s.v. York, There are four principal gates, or bars, as they are usually called.
b. A toll-house gate or barrier; cf. TOLL-BAR.
1540. Act 32 Hen. VIII., xvii. § 1. The said lane called Graies Inne Lane, from Holborne bars northward.
1813. Examiner, 18 April, 243/1. The only light … was that shed by the toll-bar lamp, and … the bar is at a distance of about 150 yards from the place where the crime was perpetrated.
† c. A hurdle. Obs.
1641. H. Best, Farm. Bks. (1856), 15. The seconde thinge belonginge to a barre is spelles … the third thinge belonginge to a barre is a dagger.
† 14. A defensive barrier, a bulwark. Obs.
1603. Florio, Montaigne, I. xlvii. (1632), 154. Having so many Cities, Townes, Holds, Castles, and Barres for his securitie.
1618. Bolton, Florus, IV. ii. (1636), 284. Utica … the other maine fort or barre of Africa.
15. A bank of sand, silt, etc., across the mouth of a river or harbor, which obstructs navigation.
1586. J. Hooker, Girald. Irel., in Holinsh., II. 16/2. The port or hauen of Dublin is a barred hauen, and great ships … doo lie in a certeine rode without the barre.
1621. Quarles, Argalus & P. (1678), 81. Our Pinnace is past o’er The Bar, and rides before the Maiden-tower.
1720. Lond. Gaz., No. 5821/1. Three Ships were lost upon the Bar.
1868. G. Duff, Pol. Surv., 100. Rivers which are, as usual in Japan, obstructed by a dangerous bar.
b. See bar-diggings in 30.
1862. R. Mayne, Brit. Columbia, 65. Bars … all those places where gold is found and worked, on a river’s bank, are called by that name.
16. Mus. ‘A vertical line drawn across the stave to divide a musical composition into portions of equal duration, and to indicate the periodical recurrence of the accent’ (F. Taylor, in Grove, Dict. Mus.); also, the portion contained between two such lines, technically called the ‘measure.’ Double bar: two parallel vertical lines, marking the close of a strain or section.
1665. C. Simpson, Princ. Mus., 25. Distinguished by Strokes crossing the Lines, which … are called Bars.
1674. Playford, Skill Mus., I. xi. 35. Bars are of two sorts, single and double. The single Bars serve to divide the Time, according to the Measure of the Semibreve. The double Bars are set to divide the several Strains or Stanzaes of the Songs and Lessons.
1779. Sheridan, Critic, II. i. Will you play a few bars?
1795. Mason, Ch. Music, i. 13. One note in every bar should be accented.
1881. Macfarren, Counterp., 19. To continue a note for two bars or more is not melody.
17. in pl. Bars: the game of ‘prisoner’s base’ or ‘chevy.’ The players, after choosing sides, occupy two camps or enclosures, and any player leaving his enclosure is chased by one of the opposite side, and, if caught, made a prisoner. Still in north. dial.
c. 1400. MS. Cott. Cleop., D. ix. 156 b. Þe children ournen at þe bars.
a. 1450. Myrc, 336. Bal and bares and suche play Out of chyrcheȝorde put away.
1611. Cotgr., Barres, the play at Bace or Prison Bars.
a. 1795. Aikin, Evenings at H., xvii. 276. At cricket, taw, and prison-bars, He bore away the bell.
1801. Strutt, Sports & Past., II. ii. 71. A rustic game called base or bars, and in some places prisoners’ bars.
** An immaterial barrier.
18. Law. A plea or objection of force sufficient to arrest entirely an action or claim at law.
1495. Act 2 Hen. VII., xxiv. § 1. A sufficient barre of the seid atteynte.
1528. Perkins, Prof. Bk., v. § 410. Such assignment shall not be a barre in a ‘Scire Facias.’
1599. Shaks., Hen. V., I. ii. 42. Pharamond, The founder of this Law and Female Barre.
1641. Termes de la Ley, 37 b. Barre is when the defendant in any action pleadeth a plea which is a sufficient answer, and that destroyeth the action of the plaintife for ever.
1879. Cassell’s Techn. Educ., IV. 91/1. It is no bar to the validity of a patent.
19. fig. An obstruction, obstacle; a barrier.
1531. Dial. Laws Eng., II. xlix. (1638), 153. This warranty is no barre in conscience, though it be a barre in the law.
1649. Bp. Reynolds, Serm. Hosea, iii. 40. The special barre and obstacle that keeps men from Christ.
1713. Addison, Cato, I. ii. His baffled arms, and ruined cause, Are bars to my ambition.
1782. Burke, Penal Laws, Wks. VI. 272. Thereby fixing a permanent bar against any relief.
1877. L. Morris, Epic of Hades, II. 92. Nature … has set this bar Betwixt success and failure.
20. Phrases: † To make bar of: to stop short at. † By the bar: by means of the very obstacle interposed. In bar (of, rarely to): as a sufficient reason or plea (against), to prevent.
c. 1590. Marlowe, Jew of Malta, I. ii. In extremity We ought to make bar of no policy.
1609. Holland, Amm. Marcell., XXV. xii. 279. By the barre, as one would say, whereof they continued time out of mind, without taking any harme.
a. 1715. Burnet, Own Time (1766), II. 92. Their protestation was only in barr to the Lords doing anything besides the trial.
1827. Hallam, Const. Hist. (1876), II. xii. 414. Danby … pleaded a pardon secretly obtained from the King, in bar of the prosecution.
1842. H. E. Manning, Serm. (1848), I. xiv. 205. These are the habits of life which are pleaded in bar of the daily worship of God.
† 21. A kind of false die, on which certain numbers are prevented from turning up. See BARRED (dice).
1545. Ascham, Toxoph. (Arb.), 55. Certayne termes … appropriate to theyr playing; wherby they wyl drawe a mannes money, but paye none, whiche they cal barres.
1592. No-body & Some-b., 1517. Those Demi-bars…. Those bar Sizeaces.
1753. Chambers, Cycl. Supp., Barr Dice, a species of false dice, so formed that they will not easily lie on certain sides.
III. A rail or barrier acquiring from its use special technical significance; the space it encloses.
* In a court of justice.
22. The barrier or wooden rail marking off the immediate precinct of the judge’s seat, at which prisoners are stationed for arraignment, trial or sentence.
a. 1400. Cov. Myst., 314. Brynge forthe to the barre that arn to be dempt.
1480. Caxton, Chron. Eng., VII. (1520), 102/2. He was ledde to barre before the kinges justyces.
1613. Shaks., Hen. VIII., II. i. 12. The great Duke Came to the Bar; where, to his accusations He pleaded still not guilty.
1845. Disraeli, Sybil, 266. Hurried like a criminal to the bar of a police-office.
b. fig. A tribunal, e.g., that of reason, public opinion, conscience.
c. 1375. Wyclif, Serm., Sel. Wks. 1871, II. 186. Ech man mote nedis stonde at þe barre bifore Crist.
1594. Shaks., Rich. III., V. iii. 199. All seuerall sinnes, all vs’d in each degree, Throng all to’ th’ Barre, crying all, Guilty, Guilty.
1665. Glanvill, Sceps. Sci., xiv. 88. When self is at the bar, the sentence is not like to be impartial.
1724. Watts, Logic, II. iii. § 4 (1822), 236. Calling all the principles of our younger years to the bar of maturer reason.
1837. Carlyle, Fr. Rev., I. I. iv. 24. The Judgment-bar of the Most High God.
23. This barrier, as the place at which all the business of the court was transacted, soon became synonymous with: Court; esp. in phr. At (the) bar: in court, in open court. Trial at bar: a trial before the full court in which the action or indictment is brought; in England, the Queen’s Bench Division.
c. 1330. in Pol. Songs, 339. Countours in benche that stondeth at the barre, Theih wolen bigile the.
1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. I. 160. Seriauntes hij semede · þat seruen atte barre.
1460. Capgrave, Chron., 222. This ȝere [1362], was ordeyned that alle plees at the barre schuld be in Englisch tunge.
1550. Crowley, Last Trump., 911. Thou wilt stand at a barre ballyng.
1656. Cowley, Pind. Odes, Wks. I. 228. Thou neither great … at th’ Exchange shalt be, nor at the wrangling Bar.
1689. Tryal Bps. We are very desirous it should be tryed at Bar.
1803. J. Marshall, Const. Opin. (1839), 2. These principles have been very ably argued at the bar.
1866. N. & Q., Ser. III. IX. 449/2. The first instance of a trial at bar has just occurred at Melbourne.
b. A (particular) court of law, esp. in the phr. To practise at (such a) bar. [Compare 25–26.]
1559. [see 25].
1583. Stubbes, Anat. Abus., II. 16. Notwithstanding that they [lawiers] can be present but at one barre at once, yet will they take diuers fees of sundry clients to speake for them at three or foure places in one day.
1723. Lond. Gaz., No. 6211/2. They went to the Exchequer Bar.
1841. Orderson, Creol., xiv. 152. Who was … expected out to practise at the Barbados bar.
1844. Ld. Brougham, Brit. Const., xix. § 6 (1861), 360. I have practised at the bar of the House of Lords.
** In the Inns of Court.
† 24. A barrier or partition separating the seats of the benchers or readers from the rest of the hall, to which students, after they had attained a certain standing, were ‘called’ from the body of the hall, for the purpose of taking a principal part in the mootings or exercises of the house. Obs. See BARRISTER. Hence the phrases:—To be called to the bar: to be admitted a barrister. † To cast over the bar: to deprive of the status of a barrister, to disbar; gen. to reject.
After 1600, when utter-barristers, as well as sergeants and apprentices-at-law were allowed to plead in the law-courts, bar in these phrases seems to have been popularly assumed to mean the bar in a court of justice, outside of which ordinary barristers appear to plead, while King’s Counsel and Sergeants-at-Law have places within it. Hence the mod. phrase To be called within the bar: to be appointed King’s (or Queen’s) Counsel.
c. 1545. [See BARRISTER].
1574. N. Bacon, Order of Council [regulating proc. of Inns of Court], in Penny Cycl., III. 504. That none be called to the utter bar but by the ordinary council of the House … in term time.
1608. 2nd Pt. Def. Reas. Refus. Subscr., 160. His note that Zanchy maketh no doubt … maie be caste over the barre.
1625. K. Long, trans. Barclay’s Argenis, III. xxii. 221. If any Clyent bribeth … the Lawier that receiveth, shall be cast over the Barre.
1650. B., Discolliminium, 48. I was call’d to the Barre six yeares agoe.
1701. Luttrell, Brief Rel. (1857), V. 69. A Yorkshire attorney … had his gown pulled off, and he thrown over the bar, for disobeying the rules of that court.
1768. Blackstone, Comm., III. xxviii. These [barristers having patents of precedence] … rank promiscuously with the king’s counsel, and together with them sit within the bar of the respective courts.
1864. Tennyson, Aylmer’s F., 59. A year or two before Call’d to the bar.
1885. Law Jrnl., 13 June, 364/1. That his Royal Highness Prince Albert Victor of Wales be called to the degree of the Utter Bar.
25. The whole body of barristers, or spec. the barristers practising in a particular court, circuit or country. (Cf. 23 b).
1559. Ord. Judges, in Dugdale, Orig. Jurid. (1671), 310. That an exhortation should be given to the utter Barr that none should come to any Barr at Westminster … under ten years continuance.
1695. Pol. Ballads (1860), II. 50. The Bar, the Pulpit and the Press Nefariously combine.
1864. Times, 4 Nov., 6/6. The dinner to be given by the English Bar to M. Berryer.
26. abstractly (combining 23 and 24): Occupation as counsel in a court of justice; the profession of a barrister.
1632. Massinger & Field, Fatal Dowry, I. ii. Your fees are boundless at the bar.
1709. Steele & Addison, Tatler, No. 101, ¶ 1. A Lawyer, who leaves the Bar for Chamber-Practice.
1770. Langhorne, Plutarch (1879), II. 586/2. He cultivated oratory, most particularly that of the bar.
1879. Froude, Cæsar, viii. 84. He chose the bar for his profession.
*** In legislative assemblies.
27. The rail or barrier dividing from the body of the house a space near the door, to which non-members may be admitted for business purposes.
a. 1577. Sir T. Smith, Commw. Eng., II. ii. They [the Commons] coming all with him [the Speaker] to a bar which is at the nether end of the upper house.
1790. Burke, Fr. Rev., 349. Giving an account of his government at the bar of the same assembly.
1849. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., I. 520. The people of Bristol … sent up a deputation which was heard at the bar of the Commons.
**** In an inn, or other place of refreshment.
28. A barrier or counter, over which drink (or food) is served out to customers, in an inn, hotel, or tavern, and hence, in a coffee-house, at a railway-station, etc.; also, the space behind this barrier, and sometimes the whole apartment containing it.
1592. Greene, Art Conny Catch., III. 20. He was acquainted with one of the seruants … of whom he could haue two pennyworth of Rose-water for a peny … wherefore he would step to the barre vnto him.
1601. Shaks., Twel. N., I. iii. 74. Bring your hand to’th Buttry barre, and let it drinke.
1712. Addison, Spect., No. 403, ¶ 9. [I] laid down my Penny at the Barr … and made the best of my way to Cheapside.
1835. Marryat, Jac. Faithf., xii. He sees the girl in the bar.
1837. Hawthorne, Amer. Note-Bks. (1871), I. 42. A bottle of champagne was quaffed at the bar.
IV. Comb. and Attrib.
29. General relations, chiefly attrib.; (a.) in sense 1, as bar-lock, -magnet; (b.) in senses 23–26, as bar-anecdote, -oratory; and esp. (c.) in sense 28, as bar-board, -boy, -tender, -window; bar-room, -parlour, BARMAID, -MAN.
a. 1831. J. Holland, Manuf. Metal, I. 118. The new bar-suspension-bridge.
1860. Tyndall, Glac., I. § 40. 141. The exact polar arrangement of an ordinary bar-magnet.
1875. ‘Stonehenge,’ Brit. Sports, I. I. xi. § 1. The back-actioned lock does not speak so well as the old bar-lock.
b. 1755. Carte, Hist. Eng., IV. 330. The habitual chicanes of bar-oratory.
1820. (title) Cut and Come again, or Humorous Bar Anecdotes.
c. 1631. Heywood, Maid of West, Wks. 1874, II. 276. The next Vintage I hope to be Barre-boy.
1723. Mrs. Centlivre, Gotham Elect., I. 158. Zome that like your Port Wines still, but very few … as my Bar-board can witness.
1857. Hughes, Tom Brown, I. iv. The red curtains of the bar-window.
1884. Fortn. Rev., March, 389. A bar-tender in … this low groggery.
30. Special combinations: Bar-boat, one marking the position of a bar (sense 15); bar-boy, a boy employed to fix and clean the fire-bars of a locomotive engine; bar-button, one in the shape of a bar; bar-cutter, a shearing machine for cutting metallic bars into lengths; bar-diggings (see quot.); bar-fee (see quot.); † bar-gate, a barrier-gate; also fig. (cf. sense 14); bar-frame, the frame that supports the metallic bars of a furnace; bar-gemel (see 6); bar-gown, a lawyer’s gown, fig. a lawyer; bar-iron, iron wrought into malleable bars; bar-keeper, one who keeps or manages a bar for refreshments, who keeps a toll-bar, or keeps guard at a barrier; bar-parlour, a small room adjoining the bar of a public-house; bar-pin (see sense 11); bar-post, the post that receives the ends of movable bars used instead of a gate; bar-room, the public room containing the bar in a tavern or hotel, a tap-room; bar-share plough, one with a bar extending backward from the point of the share; bar-shear (= bar-cutter); bar-shoe, a horse-shoe with a bar across the hinder part to protect the tender frog of the heel; bar-shot, a double shot consisting of two half cannon-balls joined by an iron bar, used in sea-warfare to injure masts and rigging; bar-silver, silver in bars (cf. 3); so bar-tin; bar-tracery (see quot.); bar-way, a passage into a field, closed by movable horizontal bars fitted into vertical posts; bar-ways, -wise adv., in the manner of a bar.
1857. C. Gribble, in Merc. Marine Mag. (1858), V. 4. The *Bar-boat on the S.W. Bar.
1881. M. Reynolds, Engine-Driving Life, 7. Littleton Carless was a *bar-boy—that is, one who has to creep through the fire-hole door of the engines with a torch-lamp and a scraper, to arrange the fire-bars [etc.].
1685. Lond. Gaz., No. 2072/4. And *bar Buttons on the Coat sleeves.
1881. Raymond, Mining Gloss., *Bar-diggings, gold-washing claims located on the bars (shallows) of a stream.
1641. Termes de la Ley, 38. *Barre fee is a fee of twenty pence, which every prisoner acquitted of Felony payes to the Gaoler.
1600. Holland, Livy, VI. ix. 222. Those two townes stood even against Hetruria, as it were the very keies and *bar-gates [claustra] from thence.
1631. Weever, Anc. Fun. Mon., 574. Valiantly defending … the *Barre-yates and entrance into the Towne.
1664. Butler, Hud., II. III. 16. Others believe no Voice t’ an Organ; So sweet as Lawyer’s in his *Bar-gown.
1682. N. O., Boileau’s Lutrin, I. 4. Troops of *Barr-gowns rang’d under her Banner.
1677. Yarranton, Eng. Improv., 57. Infinite quantities of Raw Iron … with *Bar Iron and Wire.
c. 1860. H. Stuart, Seaman’s Catech., 59. The best bar-iron is obtained from Sweden.
1712. Steele, Spect., No. 534, ¶ 5. I am … *bar-keeper of a coffee-house.
1748. Smollett, Rod. Rand., xxiv. (1804), 16. She … was hired in the quality of bar-keeper.
1818. Scott, Hrt. Midl., xxi. Securing, through his interest with the bar-keepers and macers, a seat for Deans.
1883. Harper’s Mag., 820/2. The firm of barkeepers.
1876. E. Jenkins, Queen’s H., 4. To hold meetings in the *bar-parlour and the coffee-room.
1611. Cotgr., Empeigne, the *barre-pinnes of a peece of caske.
1809. Kendall, Trav., III. lxxx. 231. The *bar-room of a public-house is what in England is called a tap-room.
1844. Dickens, Mar. Chuz., xvi. Major Pawkins proposed an adjournment to a neighbouring bar-room.
1832. Miss Mitford, Village, Ser. V. (1863), 343. Colman thinks it’s only a prick … and advises one of his *bar shoes.
1831. Youatt, Horse, xx. (1872), 437. A bar-shoe is the common shoe with the heels carried round to meet each other, thus forming a bar.
1756. Gentl. Mag., XXVI. 506. The great quantity of *bar-shot … which the French fired in upon us, tore our sails.
1746. Hanway, Trav. (1762), I. V. lxxiii. 336. A quantity of *bar tin.
1861. Parker, Goth. Archit. (1874), 319. *Bar-tracery, window-tracery which distinguishes Gothic work, resembling more a bar of iron twisted into various forms than stone.
1572. Bossewell, Armorie, II. 130. A Bores head … betwene two dartes *barwaies.
1864. Boutell, Heraldry Hist. & Pop., vii. 33. A Riband crossing the shield *bar-wise.
