behind bars

[biˈhaind bɑ:z]

noun (1)

a straight piece (as of wood or metal) that is longer than it is wide and has any of various uses (as for a lever, support, barrier, or fastening) a door secured by an iron bar

windows with bars across them

a solid piece or block of material that is longer than it is wide a candy bar

a bar of gold

a usually rigid piece (as of wood or metal) longer than it is wide that is used as a handle or supportespecially: a handrail used by ballet dancers to maintain balance while exercising

something that obstructs or prevents passage, progress, or action: such as

law the destruction of an action (see action sense 5) or claimalso: a plea or objection that effects such destruction

a statute of limitations bar to the present action

an intangible or nonphysical impediment

His poor attitude was a bar to his success.

a submerged or partly submerged bank (as of sand) along a shore or in a river often obstructing navigation

the railing in a courtroom that encloses the place about the judge where prisoners are stationed or where the business of the court is transacted in civil cases

The younger judge brought a fresh viewpoint to the bar.

the barrier in the English Inns of Court that formerly separated the seats of the benchers or readers (see reader sense 2) from the body of the hall occupied by the students

dreams of being admitted to the bar

a straight stripe, band, or line much longer than it is wide: such as

heraldry one of two or more horizontal stripes on a heraldic shield

a metal or embroidered strip worn on a usually military uniform especially to indicate rank (as of a company officer) or service (see service entry 1 sense 6b)

a second lieutenant's bar

a counter at which food or especially alcoholic beverages are served

We sat at the bar while we waited for a table.

a room or establishment where alcoholic drinks and sometimes food are served : barroom

They went to a bar for drinks.

shop sense 2b

a coffee bar

a vertical line across the musical staff before the initial measure accent (see accent entry 1 sense 5)

measure

Sing the first two bars.

textiles a lace and embroidery joining covered with buttonhole stitch for connecting various parts of the pattern in needlepoint lace and cutwork

standard

wants to raise the bar for approving new drugs

a strip along the edge of a computer window that contains commonly used options or icons

The horizontal navigation bar across the top and bottom enables users to move quickly from primary section to primary section within the site …—Editor & Publisher

verb

transitive verb

to fasten with a long, narrow piece of wood, metal, or other material : to fasten with a bar (see bar entry 1 sense 1a)

to place bars across to prevent ingress or egress

bar the door

to mark with straight stripes, bands, or lines that are much longer than they are wide : to mark with bars (see bar entry 1 sense 4) : stripe

a feather barred with blue

to confine or shut in by or as if by bars (see bar entry 1 sense 1a)

barring prisoners in their cells

to set aside : to not take into consideration : rule out

did not bar the possibility of further measures

to keep out : exclude—often used with from

Women were barred from joining the club.

to put forth legal objection to (something, such as a claim or action) : to prevent (a party) from bringing a claim or actionPlaintiffs are barred from litigating such claims.

final judgment barred the subsequent claim

prevent, forbid

a decision barring his participation

preposition

except

the country's most popular actor, bar none

noun (2)

a unit of pressure equal to 100,000 pascals

abbreviation (1)

barometer; barometric

barrel

abbreviation (2)

Baruch

abbreviation (3)

bachelor of architecture

abbreviation (4)

Browning automatic rifle

combining form

weight : pressure

barometer

Noun (1) Middle English barre, from Anglo-French, from Vulgar Latin *barra Verb Middle English barren, borrowed from Anglo-French barrer, derivative of barre bar >entry 1 Preposition derivative of bar >entry 2 Noun (2) German, from Greek baros Combining form Greek baros; akin to Greek barys heavy — more at grieve

The first known use of bar was in the 12th century

water buffalonoun

an Asian buffalo that is often domesticated and somewhat resembles a large ox

bang-upadjective

first-rate, excellent a bang-up job

had a bang-up time

water blisternoun

a blister containing clear watery fluid

waterbirdnoun

a swimming or wading bird

water beetlenoun

any of numerous oval flattened beetles (as a whirligig beetle) that are found in water and swim by means of their fringed hind legs which act together as oars

bank1 of 5noun

a mound, pile, or ridge of earth

a piled-up mass of cloud or fog

a rise in the sea bottom

the rising ground at the edge of a lake, river, or sea

a steep slope (as of a hill)

the inward tilt of a surface along a curve or of a vehicle (as an airplane) when turning

bank2 of 5verb

to raise a bank around

to cover (as a fire) with fresh fuel to reduce the speed of burning

to build with the foundation of a road or railroad sloping upward from the inside edge

bank a curve

to heap or pile in a bank

to rise in or form a bank

to tilt an airplane sideways when turning

bank3 of 5noun

a place of business that lends, exchanges, takes care of, or issues money

a small closed container in which money may be saved

a storage place (as for a reserve supply)

a blood bank

bank4 of 5verb

to have an account in a bank

to deposit or store in a bank

banks $10 every week

bank5 of 5noun

a group or series of objects arranged close together in a row

a bank of seats

wasp waistnoun

a very slender waist

wasn't

was not

bar1 of 4noun

a straight piece (as of metal or wood) that is longer than it is wide

a usually rectangular piece or block of material

a bar of soap

something that hinders or blocks : obstacle

a bank (as of sand) partly or entirely under water along a shore or in a river

the railing in a courtroom around the place where the business of the court is carried on

a court of law

the profession of law

stripe entry 3 sense 1

a counter on which alcoholic drinks or food is served

barroom

a vertical line across the musical staff before the beginning of a measure

measure entry 1 sense 4c

standard entry 1 sense 2a

raise the bar for improving new medicines

bar2 of 4verb

to fasten with a bar

bar the door

to mark with bars : stripe

gray feathers barred with brown

to block off : close

bar the road with a chain

to keep out : exclude

bar reporters from a meeting

prevent sense 1, forbid

the judge barred them from talking to reporters

bar3 of 4preposition

with the exception of

bar none

bar4 of 4noun

a unit of pressure equal to 100,000 pascals