bar
A2Neutral to informal in the 'pub' sense; formal in legal/technical contexts.
Definition
Meaning
A long, rigid piece of solid material, typically metal or wood, used as a structural element, a barrier, or a place to serve alcoholic drinks.
1) A place of business where alcoholic drinks are served. 2) A unit of atmospheric pressure. 3) A legal profession or the community of lawyers. 4) A counter or shop where a specific type of food or service is provided. 5) A horizontal line in musical notation dividing measures. 6) A stripe, band, or obstruction.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word has undergone semantic broadening from a physical object to a social space and abstract concept (e.g., 'to bar someone'). The specific meaning is highly context-dependent.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In the US, 'bar' is the standard, generic term for a place serving alcohol. In the UK, while 'bar' is used, 'pub' is more common for a traditional establishment; 'bar' can imply a more modern or standalone counter area within a pub.
Connotations
US: Strongly associated with legal profession ('passing the bar'). UK: 'Pub' has stronger cultural and social connotations than 'bar'.
Frequency
Higher frequency in US English for the drinking establishment sense.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
bar N (from V-ing/from N)V + bar + of + Nbe barred + from + N/V-ingN + barVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “behind bars”
- “raise the bar”
- “bar none”
- “call to the bar”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
A unit of measurement for pressure in engineering ('The tyre is inflated to 2.3 bar').
Academic
A graphical element representing data ('The bar chart illustrates annual growth').
Everyday
A place to socialise and drink ('Let's meet at the bar after work').
Technical
The legal profession or examination ('She was admitted to the bar last year').
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The bouncer barred the rowdy patron from the club.
- The fallen tree barred the path completely.
American English
- The judge barred the evidence from the trial.
- He was barred from practicing law in the state.
adverb
British English
- The path was blocked bar one small opening.
- They sold everything bar the old sofa.
American English
- The team is complete, bar the injured goalkeeper.
- All was quiet, bar the sound of the wind.
adjective
British English
- He works bar shifts at the local pub.
- The bar staff were very friendly.
American English
- She ordered a bar stool for her kitchen island.
- The bar menu had a good selection of cocktails.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I ate a chocolate bar.
- The hotel has a small bar.
- There is an iron bar on the floor.
- They decided to meet at the new wine bar in town.
- He bought a bar of soap from the chemist's.
- The prisoner was put behind bars.
- The company has raised the bar for customer service in the industry.
- She is studying diligently to pass the bar exam.
- The government barred the company from bidding on the contract.
- The arbitrator barred the submission of any further evidence after the deadline.
- His behaviour was so egregious that it fell well below the bar expected of a professional.
- The conceptual bar for entry into this literary genre is notoriously high.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a chocolate BAR being served over a BAR counter by a lawyer studying for the BAR exam.
Conceptual Metaphor
OBSTACLES/STANDARDS ARE BARS (e.g., 'set a high bar', 'barred from entry').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not translate 'bar' as 'бар' in all contexts. 'Bar of chocolate' is 'плитка шоколада', not 'шоколадный бар'. 'Bar' (legal) is 'коллегия адвокатов' or 'адвокатура'. 'Bar' (pub) is often 'паб' or just 'бар'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'bar' uncountably (e.g., 'I bought some bar of chocolate' -> 'a bar of chocolate'). Confusing 'pub' and 'bar' in UK contexts. Using 'bar' as a verb without the correct preposition ('They barred him to enter' -> 'They barred him from entering').
Practice
Quiz
In a UK context, which phrase is LEAST likely to refer to a place for a casual drink?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is primarily countable (a bar, two bars). The exception is in the legal sense ('the bar'), which is treated as a singular collective noun.
In the UK, a 'pub' is a traditional public house, often with a more relaxed, community feel, serving food and drinks. A 'bar' often focuses more on drinks, can be part of a hotel or restaurant, and may have a more modern atmosphere. In the US, 'bar' is the generic term.
Yes. It means to fasten with a bar, to obstruct, or officially to forbid or prevent someone from doing something (usually followed by 'from').
It is an idiom meaning 'without exception' or 'the best of all'. Example: 'This is the finest restaurant in the city, bar none.'
Collections
Part of a collection
Places in the City
A1 · 50 words · Common buildings and places found in towns and cities.