5 ADJ A barren woman or female animal is unable to have babies. [OLD-FASHIONED ] □ He prayed that his barren wife would one day have a child.
bar|ri|cade /bæ r I ke I d, [AM ] -ke I d/ (barricades , barricading , barricaded )
1 N‑COUNT A barricade is a line of vehicles or other objects placed across a road or open space to stop people getting past, for example during street fighting or as a protest. □ Large areas of the city have been closed off by barricades set up by the demonstrators.
2 VERB If you barricade something such as a road or an entrance, you place a barricade or barrier across it, usually to stop someone getting in. □ [V n] The rioters barricaded streets with piles of blazing tyres. □ [be V -ed] The doors had been barricaded.
3 VERB If you barricade yourself inside a room or building, you place barriers across the door or entrance so that other people cannot get in. □ [V n prep/adv] The students have barricaded themselves into their dormitory building. □ [be V -ed] About forty prisoners are still barricaded inside the wrecked buildings.
bar|ri|er ◆◇◇ /bæ riə r / (barriers )
1 N‑COUNT A barrier is something such as a rule, law, or policy that makes it difficult or impossible for something to happen or be achieved. □ [+ to ] Duties and taxes are the most obvious barrier to free trade. [Also + against/between ]
2 N‑COUNT A barrier is a problem that prevents two people or groups from agreeing, communicating, or working with each other. □ There is no reason why love shouldn't cross the age barrier. □ When you get involved in sports and athletes, a lot of the racial barriers are broken down. [Also + between ]
3 N‑COUNT A barrier is something such as a fence or wall that is put in place to prevent people from moving easily from one area to another. □ The demonstrators broke through heavy police barriers. □ As each woman reached the barrier one of the men glanced at her papers.
4 N‑COUNT A barrier is an object or layer that physically prevents something from moving from one place to another. □ [+ between ] …a severe storm, which destroyed a natural barrier between the house and the lake. □ The packaging must provide an effective barrier to prevent contamination of the product.
5 N‑SING You can refer to a particular number or amount as a barrier when you think it is significant, because it is difficult or unusual to go above it. □ [+ of ] They are fearful that unemployment will soon break the barrier of three million.
6 → see also crash barrier , sound barrier
ba r|ri|er meth|od (barrier methods ) N‑COUNT [usu pl] Barrier methods of contraception involve the use of condoms, diaphragms, or other devices that physically prevent the sperm from reaching the egg.
bar|ring /bɑː r I ŋ/ PREP You use barring to indicate that the person, thing, or event that you are mentioning is an exception to your statement. □ Barring accidents, I believe they will succeed.
bar|rio /bɑː rioʊ/ (barrios )
1 N‑COUNT A barrio is a mainly Spanish-speaking area in an American city. [AM ] □ …the barrios of Santa Cruz.
2 N‑COUNT A barrio is an urban district in a Spanish-speaking country. [mainly AM ] □ …the barrios of Mexico City.
bar|ris|ter /bæ r I stə r / (barristers ) N‑COUNT In England and Wales, a barrister is a lawyer who represents clients in the higher courts of law. Compare solicitor .
bar|room /bɑː r ruːm/ (barrooms ) also bar-room N‑COUNT A barroom is a room or building in which alcoholic drinks are served over a counter. [AM ] in BRIT, usually use bar , pub
bar|row /bæ roʊ/ (barrows )
1 N‑COUNT A barrow is the same as a wheelbarrow .
2 N‑COUNT A barrow is a cart from which fruit or other goods are sold in the street. [BRIT ] in AM, use pushcart 3 N‑COUNT A barrow is a large structure made of earth that people used to build over graves in ancient times.
ba r|row boy (barrow boys ) N‑COUNT A barrow boy is a man or boy who sells fruit or other goods from a barrow in the street. [BRIT ]
bar|tender /bɑː r tendə r / (bartenders ) N‑COUNT A bartender is a person who serves drinks behind a bar.
bar|ter /bɑː r tə r / (barters , bartering , bartered ) VERB If you barter goods, you exchange them for other goods, rather than selling them for money. □ [V n + for ] They have been bartering wheat for cotton and timber. □ [V ] The market-place and street were crowded with those who'd come to barter. □ [V n] Traders came to barter horses. ● N‑UNCOUNT [oft N n] Barter is also a noun. □ Overall, barter is a very inefficient means of organizing transactions. □ …a barter economy.
ba|sal /be I s ə l/ ADJ [ADJ n] Basal means relating to or forming the base of something. [TECHNICAL ] □ …the basal layer of the skin.
bas|alt /bæ sɔːlt, [AM ] bəsɔː lt/ (basalts ) N‑VAR Basalt is a type of black rock that is produced by volcanoes.
base ◆◆◆ /be I s/ (bases , basing , based , baser , basest )
1 N‑COUNT The base of something is its lowest edge or part. □ There was a cycle path running along this side of the wall, right at its base. □ Line the base and sides of a 20cm deep round cake tin with paper.
2 N‑COUNT The base of something is the lowest part of it, where it is attached to something else. □ [+ of ] The surgeon placed catheters through the veins and arteries near the base of the head.