Bar

–noun

1.	a relatively long, evenly shaped piece of some solid substance, as metal or wood, used as a guard or obstruction or for some mechanical purpose: the bars of a cage.

2.	an oblong piece of any solid material: a bar of soap; a candy bar.

3.	the amount of material in a bar.

4.	an ingot, lump, or wedge of gold or silver.

5.	a long ridge of sand, gravel, or other material near or slightly above the surface of the water at or near the mouth of a river or harbor entrance, often constituting an obstruction to navigation.

6.	anything that obstructs, hinders, or impedes; obstacle; barrier: a bar to important legislation.

7.	a counter or place where beverages, esp. liquors, or light meals are served to customers: a snack bar; a milk bar.

8.	a barroom or tavern.

9.	(in a home) a counter, small wagon, or similar piece of furniture for serving food or beverages: a breakfast bar.

10.	the legal profession.

11.	the practicing members of the legal profession in a given community.

12.	any tribunal: the bar of public opinion.

13.	a band or strip: a bar of light.

14.	a railing in a courtroom separating the general public from the part of the room occupied by the judges, jury, attorneys, etc.

15.	a crowbar.

16.	Music. a. Also called bar line. the line marking the division between two measures of music. b. double bar. c. the unit of music contained between two bar lines; measure.

17.	Ballet. barre.

18.	Law. a. an objection that nullifies an action or claim. b. a stoppage or defeat of an alleged right of action.

19.	Typography. a horizontal stroke of a type character, as of an A, H, t, and sometimes e.

20.	Architecture. (in tracery) a relatively long and slender upright of stone treated as a colonette or molded.

21.	Building Trades. a. an iron or steel shape: I-bar. b. a muntin.

22.	Military. one of a pair of metal or cloth insignia worn by certain commissioned officers.

23.	bars, the transverse ridges on the roof of the mouth of a horse.

24.	a space between the molar and canine teeth of a horse into which the bit is fitted.

25.	(in a bridle) the mouthpiece connecting the cheeks.

26.	bride 2 (def. 1).

27.	Heraldry. a horizontal band, narrower than a fess, that crosses the field of an escutcheon.

28.	Obsolete. a gateway capable of being barred.

–verb (used with object)

29.	to equip or fasten with a bar or bars: Bar the door before retiring for the night.

30.	to block by or as if by bars: The police barred the exits in an attempt to prevent the thief's escape.

31.	to prevent or hinder: They barred her entrance to the club.

32.	to exclude or except: He was barred from membership because of his reputation.

33.	to mark with bars, stripes, or bands.

–preposition

34.	except; omitting; but: bar none.

—Idioms

35.	at bar, Law. a. before the court and being tri 2ec ed: a case at bar. b. before all the judges of a court: a trial at bar.

36.	behind bars, in jail: We wanted the criminal behind bars.