barrack
LowFormal (military); Informal, colloquial (shouting sense)
Definition
Meaning
to house soldiers in a building or group of buildings; to shout loudly or jeer at someone, especially a performer or contestant.
In a military context, to provide or live in barracks. In a non-military context, to subject someone to loud, critical, and often good-natured shouting or jeering, akin to heckling.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The verb has two distinct, unrelated meanings. The 'shout' sense is more common in British, Australian, and New Zealand English. The military sense is international but can also function as a noun ('a barrack' is rare; the plural 'barracks' is standard).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The 'shout/jeer' meaning is common in BrE but rare and potentially confusing in AmE, where the military sense dominates. AmE speakers are more likely to use 'heckle'.
Connotations
In BrE/AusE, 'barracking' can range from good-natured loud support to aggressive jeering, depending on context. In AmE, it is almost exclusively associated with housing troops.
Frequency
The 'shout' sense is frequent in sports and political reporting in the UK and Commonwealth. In the US, the word is low-frequency and primarily military/judicial.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[V n] (The crowd barracked the comedian.)[be V-ed] (The minister was barracked throughout her speech.)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Barrack-room lawyer (BrE): a person, especially a soldier, who argues contentiously about minor regulations.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Almost never used.
Academic
Rare, except in historical or military studies regarding the housing of troops.
Everyday
Used in BrE/Commonwealth in sports/political contexts ('The fans barracked the umpire'). Uncommon in AmE everyday speech.
Technical
Military terminology for assigning accommodation.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The opposition backbenchers began to barrack the Prime Minister during questions.
- He was barracked mercilessly by the home crowd after missing the penalty.
American English
- The regiment was barracked in temporary facilities outside the city.
- The court ordered the state to barrack the National Guard troops adequately.
adverb
British English
- N/A (Not standard).
American English
- N/A (Not standard).
adjective
British English
- N/A (Not standard).
American English
- N/A (Not standard).
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The soldiers live in a big barrack. (noun sense)
- The fans barracked the player who left their team. (BrE)
- During the debate, she was consistently barracked by her political opponents.
- The decision to barrack the auxiliary forces in the civilian quarter proved controversial.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a BARRACKS (building) where soldiers live, and a crowd behind a BARRIER, both being loud and concentrated in one place.
Conceptual Metaphor
VOICE AS PROJECTILE (The shouting sense): 'They barracked him with insults' conceptualises shouts as objects thrown at a target.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'баррикада' (barricade). The military sense relates to 'казарма' (kazarma). The shouting sense has no direct single equivalent; use 'освистывать' (osvistyvat') or 'глумиться' (glumit'sya).
Common Mistakes
- Using 'barrack' as a singular noun (correct: a barracks, the barracks).
- Using the 'shout' sense in AmE where it may not be understood.
- Confusing spelling with 'barricade'.
Practice
Quiz
In which variety of English is 'barrack' commonly used to mean 'shout noisily at'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is almost always negative or confrontational in its 'shout' sense. In its military sense, it is neutral.
It is grammatically acceptable but very uncommon. The word 'barracks' is used for both singular and plural reference (e.g., 'The barracks is over there').
They are synonyms in the shouting sense, but 'barrack' often implies a more sustained, loud, and collective noise from a crowd, while 'heckle' can be more individual and interjectory.
Because the 'shout/jeer' meaning is not part of standard American English vocabulary. An American would likely only know the military meaning.