Bar

A piece of wood, metal, or other material, long in proportion to its breadth or thickness, used as a lever and for various other purposes, but especially for a hindrance, obstruction, or fastening; as, the bars of a fence or gate; the bar of a door.

An indefinite quantity of some substance, so shaped as to be long in proportion to its breadth and thickness; as, a bar of gold or of lead; a bar of soap.

Anything which obstructs, hinders, or prevents; an obstruction; a barrier.

A bank of sand, gravel, or other matter, esp. at the mouth of a river or harbor, obstructing navigation.

Any railing that divides a room, or office, or hall of assembly, in order to reserve a space for those having special privileges; as, the bar of the House of Commons.

The railing that incloses the place which counsel occupy in courts of justice. Hence, the phrase at the bar of the court signifies in open court.

The place in court where prisoners are stationed for arraignment, trial, or sentence.

The whole body of lawyers licensed in a court or district; the legal profession.

A special plea constituting a sufficient answer to plaintiff's action.

Any tribunal; as, the bar of public opinion; the bar of God.

A barrier or counter, over which liquors and food are passed to customers; hence, the portion of the room behind the counter where liquors for sale are kept.

An ordinary, like a fess but narrower, occupying only one fifth part of the field.

A broad shaft, or band, or stripe; as, a bar of light; a bar of color.

A vertical line across the staff. Bars divide the staff into spaces which represent measures, and are themselves called measures.

The space between the tusks and grinders in the upper jaw of a horse, in which the bit is placed.

The part of the crust of a horse's hoof which is bent inwards towards the frog at the heel on each side, and extends into the center of the sole.

A drilling or tamping rod.

A vein or dike crossing a lode.

A gatehouse of a castle or fortified town.

A slender strip of wood which divides and supports the glass of a window; a sash bar.

To fasten with a bar; as, to bar a door or gate.

To restrict or confine, as if by a bar; to hinder; to obstruct; to prevent; to prohibit; as, to bar the entrance of evil; distance bars our intercourse; the statute bars my right; the right is barred by time; a release bars the plaintiff's recovery; -- sometimes with up.

To except; to exclude by exception.

To cross with one or more stripes or lines.

the act of preventing; "there was no bar against leaving"; "money was allocated to study the cause and prevention of influenza"

(law) a railing that encloses the part of the courtroom where the judges and lawyers sit and the case is tried; "spectators were not allowed past the bar"

an obstruction (usually metal) placed at the top of a goal; "it was an excellent kick but the ball hit the bar"

a submerged (or partly submerged) ridge in a river or along a shore; "the boat ran aground on a submerged bar in the river"

(meteorology) a unit of pressure equal to a million dynes per square centimeter; "unfortunately some writers have used bar for one dyne per square centimeter"

a room or establishment where alcoholic drinks are served over a counter; "he drowned his sorrows in whiskey at the bar"