bar

Universal Words noun, verb, preposition noun for drinks / food 1 [C] a place where you can buy and drink alcoholic and other drinks: He's been working at a bar called the Flamingo. * the island's only licensed bar (= one that is allowed to sell alcoholic drinks) * a cocktail bar * The hotel has a restaurant, bar and swimming pool. * (BrE) I found David in the bar of the Red Lion (= a room in a pub where drinks are served). seealsoBARROOM, LOUNGEBAR, MINIBAR, PUBLICBAR, SALOONBAR 2 [C] a long wide wooden surface where drinks, etc. are served: She was sitting at the bar. * It was so crowded I couldn't get to the bar. 3 [C] (especially in compounds) a place in which a particular kind of food or drink is the main thing that is served: a sandwich bar * a coffee bar seealsoSNACKBAR, WINEBAR of chocolate / soap 4 [C] a piece of sth with straight sides: a bar of chocolate / soap * The kids never eat candy bars. of metal / wood 5 [C] a long straight piece of metal or wood. Bars are often used to stop sb from getting through a space: He smashed the window with an iron bar. * All the ground floor windows were fitted with bars. * a five-bar gate (= one made with five bars of wood) seealsoSPACEBAR, TOWBAR in electric fire 6 [C] a piece of metal with wire wrapped around it that becomes red and hot when electricity is passed through it: Switch another bar on if you're cold. of colour / light 7 [C] a band of colour or light: Bars of sunlight slanted down from the tall narrow windows. that prevents sth 8 [C,usually sing.] ~ (to sth) a thing that stops sb from doing sth: At that time being a woman was a bar to promotion in most professions. seealsoCOLOURBAR in music 9 (BrE) (AmE measure) [C] one of the short sections of equal length that a piece of music is divided into, and the notes that are in it: four beats to the bar * Hum the opening bars of your favourite piece of music. law 10 (the Bar) [sing.] (BrE) the profession of BARRISTER (= a lawyer in a higher court): to be called to the Bar (= allowed to work as a qualified BARRISTER) 11 (the Bar) [sing.] (AmE) the profession of any kind of lawyer measurement 12 = MILLIBAR seealsoSCROLLBAR IDIOMS behind bars (informal) in prison: The murderer is now safely behind bars. verb (-rr-) [VN] close with bars 1 [usuallypassive] to close sth with a bar or bars: All the doors and windows were barred. block 2 to block a road, path, etc. so that nobody can pass: Two police officers were barring her exit. * We found our way barred by rocks. prevent 3 ~ sb (from sth / from doing sth) to forbid or prevent sb from doing sth: The players are barred from drinking alcohol the night before a match. IDIOMS see HOLDn. preposition except for sb/sth: The students all attended, bar two who were ill. * It's the best result we've ever had, bar none (= none was better). IDIOMS see SHOUTING ______________________________ VOCABULARYBUILDING a bar of chocolate If you want to describe a whole unit of a particular substance, or a group of things that are normally together, for example when you buy them, you need to use the correct word. a bar of soap/chocolate; a candy bar a block of ice/stone/wood a bolt/roll/length of fabric a cube of ice/sugar; an ice/sugar cube a loaf of bread a roll of film/carpet a slab of marble/concrete a stick of gum a bunch of bananas/grapes a bunch/bouquet of flowers a bundle of papers/sticks a set/bunch of keys a set of chairs/glasses/clothes/guitar strings -<noteatBIT ______________________________