barrel

noun
UK: /ˈbærəl/
US: /ˈbærəl/

  1. A large, round container, usually made of wood or metal, with a flat top and bottom.

    1. The wine is stored in a large barrel in the cellar. [ ] [ ]
    2. Oil prices are often quoted per barrel on the international market. [ ] [ ]

  2. A unit of measure for liquids, usually 31.5 US gallons for standard barrels or 42 US gallons for oil barrels.

    1. They produced several barrels of beer at the brewery last year. [ ] [ ]
    2. The company exports thousands of barrels of crude oil every day to other countries. [ ] [ ]

  3. The long, tube-shaped part of a gun through which the bullet travels when fired.

    1. The hunter cleaned the barrel of his rifle after the hunt. [ ] [ ]
    2. The rifle has a long barrel for increased accuracy at longer distances. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

cask drum vat container
barrel verb

  1. To put something into a barrel.

    1. They barrel the beer and ship it to local pubs. [ ] [ ]
    2. The distillery barrels its whiskey for aging in oak containers. [ ] [ ]

  2. To move very fast, often in a reckless way.

    1. The car barrelled down the highway at a dangerous speed. [ ] [ ]
    2. He barrelled into the room, nearly knocking over a table. [ ] [ ]
barrel intransitive-verb

  1. To move quickly and carelessly, often bumping into things.

    1. He barrelled through the crowd, not caring who he hit. [ ] [ ]
    2. The children barrelled down the stairs to see their gifts. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "barrel" in English means: A large, round container, usually made of wood or metal, with a flat top and bottom., A unit of measure for liquids, usually 31.5 US gallons for standard barrels or 42 US gallons for oil barrels., The long, tube-shaped part of a gun through which the bullet travels when fired..

The phonetic transcription of "barrel" is /ˈbærəl/ in British English and /ˈbærəl/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "barrel": cask, drum, vat, container.

Example usage of "barrel": "The wine is stored in a large barrel in the cellar.". More examples on the page.