Obs. exc. Hist. Forms: 4–6 barres, -as, 5 -ais, -eys, (6 barrowis), 5–9 barrace. [a. OF. barras, f. barre bar.]
1. A barrier or outwork in front of a fortress.
c. 1375. Barbour, Bruce, IV. 96. Ysche thai wald And bargane at the barras [v.r. barrais] hald.
1380. Sir Ferumb., 4679. Þanne come þe Sarzinz out And defendede þe barres al about.
c. 1470. Henry, Wallace, IX. 830. Off hewyn temyr in haist he gert thaim tak … and a stark barres mak.
1483. Cath. Angl., 23. A Barras, antemurale.
1490. Caxton, Eneydos, xxxv. 124. Rounde aboute this place he dyd make diches and barreys for to defende himselfe.
2. The bar of a tribunal; = BAR sb.1 22. rare.
1499. Plumpton Corr., 142. This day was new barresses made in Westmynster hall, and thether was brought Therle of Warwek, and arrened.
3. A hindrance, obstruction, delay. rare.
1480. Caxton, Ovid’s Met., XIII. iv. But I, whyche wel knowe this barras and whilis, toke wt me armes for squyres.
4. The enclosure within which knightly encounters took place; the lists.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, XI. xiv. 10. Bot we debait suld this barres wythin, With wapynnis kene.
1536. Bellenden, Cron. Scot. (1821), II. 261. Quhen thir thevis war enterit in barras, quhare thay suld have fouchtin.
1562. A. Scott, New Y. Gift to Quene. With scheild and speir To fecht in barrowis.
1808. Jamieson, s.v., We still speak of ‘a cock in a barrace,’ in allusion to a cock-pit.
1828. Scott, F. M. Perth, xiii. Will justify this cartel in knightly weapons within the barrace.
5. Hence (perh. confused with BARRAT): Hostility, contention, strife.
c. 1470. Henry, Wallace, II. 238. Me think we suld in barrat [v.r. barrace] mak thaim bow.
1603. Philotus, cxliii. Is this ane plesant godlie lyfe, To be in barrace, sturt and stryfe.
