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

n. (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"

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

n. a heating element in an electric fire; "an electric fire with three bars"

n. a counter where you can obtain food or drink; "he bought a hot dog and a coke at the bar"

n. a narrow marking of a different color or texture from the background; "a green toad with small black stripes or bars"; "may the Stars and Stripes forever wave"

n. musical notation for a repeating pattern of musical beats; "the orchestra omitted the last twelve bars of the song"

n. the body of individuals qualified to practice law in a particular jurisdiction; "he was admitted to the bar in New Jersey"

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

n. (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"

n. an area on the screen displaying functional information to the user

v. prevent from entering; keep out; "He was barred from membership in the club"

v. secure with, or as if with, bars; "He barred the door"

v. render unsuitable for passage; "block the way"; "barricade the streets"; "stop the busy road"

v. expel, as if by official decree; "he was banished from his own country"