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
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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
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