barrel

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
barrel/ˈbarəl/

▶noun

• 1 a cylindrical container bulging out in the middle, traditionally made of wooden staves enclosed by metal hoops.

  ■ a measure of capacity for oil and beer, equal to 36 imperial gallons for beer and 35 imperial gallons or 42 US gallons (roughly 159 litres) for oil.

• 2 a cylindrical tube forming part of an object such as a gun or a pen.

• 3 the belly and loins of a four-legged animal such as a horse.

▶verb (barrels, barrelling, barrelled; US barrels, barreling, barreled)

• 1 informal, chiefly N. Amer. drive or move very fast.

• 2 put into a barrel or barrels.

– phrases
over a barrel informal in a severely disadvantageous position.
with both barrels informal with unrestrained force.

– origin ME: from OFr. baril, from med. L. barriclus ‘small cask’.