barrel
barrel
(bărʹəl) noun
1.
A large, cylindrical container, usually made of staves bound together with hoops, with a flat top and bottom of equal diameter.
2.
The quantity that a barrel with a given or standard capacity will hold.
3.
Abbr. bar., bbl, bbl., bl. Any of various units of volume or capacity. In the U.S. Customary System it varies, as a liquid measure, from 31 to 42 gallons (120 to 159 liters) as established by law or usage.
4. The cylindrical part or hollow shaft of any of various mechanisms, as: a. The metal, cylindrical part of a firearm through which the bullet travels. b. A cylinder that contains a movable piston. c. The drum of a capstan. d. The cylinder within the mechanism of a timepiece that contains the mainspring.
5. Informal. A large quantity: a barrel of fun.
6. Slang. An act or an instance of moving rapidly, often recklessly, in a motor vehicle.
adjective
Likened to a barrel, as in shape: a barrel chest; barrel hips.
verb
barreled
or barrelled, barreling or barrelling, barrels or barrels
verb
, transitive
To put or pack in a barrel.
verb
, intransitive
Slang.
To move at a high speed.
idiom.
on the barrel or on the barrelhead
Granting, giving, or requesting no credit: paid cash on the barrel for the car.
over a barrel
In a very awkward position from which extrication is difficult: During the negotiations the opposing faction had us over a barrel.
[Middle English barel, from Old French baril.]