- unless (something) occurs; except for
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
bar•ring /ˈbɑrɪŋ/USA pronunciation
prep.
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026- except for;
excepting: Barring further delays, I'll be there.
bar1 /bɑr/USA pronunciation
n., v., barred, bar•ring, prep.
n. [countable]
v. [~ + object]
prep.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026n. [countable]
- a long, evenly shaped piece of some solid substance, as metal or wood, used esp. as a safeguard or obstruction: The prisoners looked through the bars of their cells.
- a piece of solid material that is longer than it is wide: a bar of soap.
- Geology, Geographya ridge or bank of material such as sand near the surface of a body of water.
- something that blocks one's path or progress:His accent is a bar to his becoming a radio announcer.
- a counter or place where beverages, esp. liquors, are served to customers:had a drink at the bar.
- Law
- [countable;
usually singular: the + ~] the legal profession: admitted to the bar. - the practicing members of the legal profession.
- a railing in a courtroom separating the public from the judges, etc.
- [countable;
- Music and Dance
- a line marking the division between two measures of music.
v. [~ + object]
- to equip or fasten with a bar or bars: barred the door.
- to block by or as if by bars: The police barred the exits.
- to prevent;
exclude:a religion that bars divorce; barred from membership in a club.
prep.
- except;
excluding;
omitting;
but: We were all invited bar none.
bar•ring
(bär′ing),USA pronunciation prep.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- excepting;
except for:Barring accidents, I'll be there.
- bar1 + -ing2 1475–85
bar1
(bär),USA pronunciation n., v., barred, bar•ring, prep.
n.
v.t.
prep.
bar′less, adj.
bar′ra•ble, adj.
bar2 (bär),USA pronunciation n.
bar3 (bär),USA pronunciation n. [Physics.]
BAR,
Bar., [Bible.]
bar.,
n.
- a relatively long, evenly shaped piece of some solid substance, as metal or wood, used as a guard or obstruction or for some mechanical purpose:the bars of a cage.
- an oblong piece of any solid material:a bar of soap; a candy bar.
- the amount of material in a bar.
- Metallurgyan ingot, lump, or wedge of gold or silver.
- Geology, Geographya long ridge of sand, gravel, or other material near or slightly above the surface of the water at or near the mouth of a river or harbor entrance, often constituting an obstruction to navigation.
- anything that obstructs, hinders, or impedes;
obstacle;
barrier:a bar to important legislation. - a counter or place where beverages, esp. liquors, or light meals are served to customers:a snack bar; a milk bar.
- a barroom or tavern.
- Furniture(in a home) a counter, small wagon, or similar piece of furniture for serving food or beverages:a breakfast bar.
- Lawthe legal profession.
- Lawthe practicing members of the legal profession in a given community.
- Lawany tribunal:the bar of public opinion.
- a band or strip:a bar of light.
- Lawa railing in a courtroom separating the general public from the part of the room occupied by the judges, jury, attorneys, etc.
- a crowbar.
- Music and Dance
- Also called bar line. the line marking the division between two measures of music.
- See double bar.
- the unit of music contained between two bar lines;
measure.
- Music and Dance[Ballet.]barre.
- Law
- an objection that nullifies an action or claim.
- a stoppage or defeat of an alleged right of action.
- Printing[Typography.]a horizontal stroke of a type character, as of an A, H, t, and sometimes e.
- Architecture(in tracery) a relatively long and slender upright of stone treated as a colonette or molded.
- [Building Trades.]
- an iron or steel shape:I-bar.
- a muntin.
- Militaryone of a pair of metal or cloth insignia worn by certain commissioned officers.
- bars, the transverse ridges on the roof of the mouth of a horse.
- a space between the molar and canine teeth of a horse into which the bit is fitted.
- (in a bridle) the mouthpiece connecting the cheeks.
- Textiles, Clothingbride2 (def. 1).
- Heraldrya horizontal band, narrower than a fess, that crosses the field of an escutcheon.
- [Obs.]a gateway capable of being barred.
- at bar, [Law.]
- before the court and being tried:a case at bar.
- before all the judges of a court:a trial at bar.
- Idiomsbehind bars, in jail:We wanted the criminal behind bars.
v.t.
- to equip or fasten with a bar or bars:Bar the door before retiring for the night.
- to block by or as if by bars:The police barred the exits in an attempt to prevent the thief 's escape.
- to prevent or hinder:They barred her entrance to the club.
- to exclude or except:He was barred from membership because of his reputation.
- to mark with bars, stripes, or bands.
prep.
- except;
omitting;
but:bar none.
- Vulgar Latin *barra rod, of obscure, perh. of pre-Latin origin, originally
- Old French
- Middle English barre 1175–1225
bar′ra•ble, adj.
- 1. rod, pole. 5. shoal, reef, bank, sand bar. 6. deterrent, stop. Bar, barrier, barricade mean something put in the way of advance. Bar has the general meaning of hindrance or obstruction:a bar across the doorway.Barrier suggests an impediment to progress or a defensive obstruction (natural or artificial):a trade barrier; a mountain barrier; a road barrier.A barricade is esp. a pile of articles hastily gathered or a rude earthwork for protection in street fighting:a barricade of wooden boxes. 7. saloon, café; cocktail lounge. 32. 33. obstruct, deter, impede, barricade. 34. eliminate.
bar2 (bär),USA pronunciation n.
- See mosquito net.
- Louisiana French bère, baire, apparently representing dialect, dialectal pronunciation, pronounced of French barre barrier, bar1
- 1770–80
bar3 (bär),USA pronunciation n. [Physics.]
- Weights and Measures, Physicsa centimeter-gram-second unit of pressure, equal to one million dynes per square centimeter.
- Physics(formerly) microbar. Abbr.: b
- Greek báros weight; compare barometer, isobar
- 1900–05
BAR,
- MilitarySee Browning automatic rifle.
Bar., [Bible.]
- BibleBaruch.
bar.,
- Meteorologybarometer.
- Meteorologybarometric.
- barrel.
- barrister.
- Bachelor of Architecture.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
barring /ˈbɑːrɪŋ/ prep
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
bar /bɑː/ n
- a rigid usually straight length of metal, wood, etc, that is longer than it is wide or thick, used esp as a barrier or as a structural or mechanical part: a bar of a gate
- a solid usually rectangular block of any material: a bar of soap
- anything that obstructs or prevents
- an offshore ridge of sand, mud, or shingle lying near the shore and parallel to it, across the mouth of a river, bay, or harbour, or linking an island to the mainland
- a counter or room where alcoholic drinks are served
- a counter, room, or establishment where a particular range of goods, food, services, etc, are sold: a coffee bar, a heel bar
- a narrow band or stripe, as of colour or light
- a heating element in an electric fire
- (in England) the area in a court of law separating the part reserved for the bench and King's (or Queen's) Counsel from the area occupied by junior barristers, solicitors, and the general public
See also Bar - the place in a court of law where the accused stands during his or her trial
- a particular court of law
- Brit (in the House of Lords and House of Commons) the boundary where nonmembers wishing to address either House appear and where persons are arraigned
- a plea showing that a plaintiff has no cause of action, as when the case has already been adjudicated upon or the time allowed for bringing the action has passed
- anything referred to as an authority or tribunal: the bar of decency
- Also called: measure a group of beats that is repeated with a consistent rhythm throughout a piece or passage of music. The number of beats in the bar is indicated by the time signature
- Brit insignia added to a decoration indicating a second award
- US a strip of metal worn with uniform, esp to signify rank or as an award for service
a variant spelling of barre See crossbar See horizontal bar See crowbar - an ordinary consisting of a horizontal line across a shield, typically narrower than a fesse, and usually appearing in twos or threes
- behind bars ⇒ in prison
- won't have a bar of, wouldn't have a bar of ⇒ Austral NZ informal cannot tolerate; dislike
- to fasten or secure with a bar: to bar the door
- to shut in or out with or as if with barriers: to bar the entrances
- to obstruct; hinder: the fallen tree barred the road
- (usually followed by from) to prohibit; forbid: to bar a couple from meeting
- (usually followed by from) to keep out; exclude: to bar a person from membership
- to mark with a bar or bars
- to prevent or halt (an action) by showing that the claimant has no cause
- except for
- bar none ⇒ without exception
bar /bɑː/ n
- a cgs unit of pressure equal to 106 dynes per square centimetre. 1 bar is equivalent to 105 newtons per square metre