1 a large round container, usually made of wood or metal, with flat ends and, usually, curved sides:
a beer / wine barrel
2 the contents of or the amount contained in a barrel; a unit of measurement in the oil industry equal to between 120 and 159 litres:
They got through two barrels of beer. * Oil prices fell to $9 a barrel.
3 the part of a gun like a tube through which the bullets are fired:
Tom found himself looking down the barrel of a gun. * The barrel was aimed directly at me. * He fired one barrel and then fired again.
IDIOMS
a barrel of laughs (often ironic) very amusing; a lot of fun:
Life hasn't exactly been a barrel of laughs lately.
(get / have sb) over a barrel (informal) (to put/have sb) in a situation in which they must accept or do what you want:
They've got us over a barrel. Either we agree to their terms or we lose the money.
moreatLOCKn., SCRAPEv.
verb (-l-) [V+adv./prep.] (AmE, informal) to move very fast in a particular direction, especially in a way that you cannot control:
He came barreling down the hill and smashed into a phone booth.
