barren

barren
bar|ren [ˈbærən] adj
[Date: 1100-1200; : Old French; Origin: baraine]
1.) land or soil that is barren has no plants growing on it
Thousands of years ago the surface was barren desert.
2.) old-fashioned unable to produce children or baby animals - used of a woman or of female animals
≠ ↑fertile
3.) a tree or plant that is barren does not produce fruit or seeds
4.) used to describe something that does not look interesting or attractive
The sports hall was a rather barren concrete building.
5.) used to describe a period of time during which you do not achieve anything or get any useful results
I scored five in the first seven games, but I've had a bit of a barren patch since then.

Dictionary of contemporary English. 2013.

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  • Barren — as a place name can refer to: *Barren County, Kentucky *Barren Island (Andaman Islands) *Barren Island, Brooklyn *Barren River LakeBarren can also refer to: *Barren County (album) *Barren County Progress *Barren Realms Elite *Barren Strawberry… …   Wikipedia

  • Barren — Bar ren (b[a^]r ren), a. [OE. barein, OF. brehaing, fem. brehaigne, baraigne, F. br[ e]haigne; of uncertain origin; cf. Arm. br[ e]kha[ n], markha[ n], sterile; LL. brana a sterile mare, principally in Aquitanian and Spanish documents; Bisc.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • barren — [bar′ən, ber′ən] adj. [ME barain < OFr baraigne, brehaigne, orig. used of land] 1. that cannot produce offspring; sterile [a barren woman] 2. not bearing or pregnant at the regular time: said of animals or plants 3. not producing crops or… …   English World dictionary

  • barren — I adjective arid, bare, childless, desolate, disused, empty, fallow, fruitless, functionless, idle, impotent, inactive, inane, infecund, infertile, insufficient, issueless, nonfertile, nonproducing, nonproductive, profitless, scarce, shallow,… …   Law dictionary

  • barren — (adj.) c.1200, from O.Fr. baraigne, baraing sterile, barren (12c.), perhaps originally brahain, of obscure derivation, perhaps from a Germanic language. In England, originally used of women, of land in France. Of land in English from late 14c. As …   Etymology dictionary

  • barren of — formal : not having (something) : ↑without a hillside barren of trees • • • Main Entry: ↑barren …   Useful english dictionary

  • Barren — Bar ren, n. 1. A tract of barren land. [1913 Webster] 2. pl. Elevated lands or plains on which grow small trees, but not timber; as, pine barrens; oak barrens. They are not necessarily sterile, and are often fertile. [Amer.] J. Pickering. [1913… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Barren [1] — Barren, 1) Canton im südlichen Theile des Staates Kentucky in den Vereinigten Staaten; Flächeninhalt etwa 23 QM.; Boden wellenförmig, in einigen Theilen hügelig, ziemlich fruchtbar. Es finden sich Schwefel u. Salzquellen, u. der Canton besitzt… …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Barren [2] — Barren (Mehrzahl Barrens), Bezeichnung für »unfruchtbare« Landstriche in Nordamerika; so besonders für die ursprünglich steppenhaften Hochflächen in Kentucky, auf denen heute erfolgreich Tabak gebaut wird; die kiefernbestandenen Sandebenen in… …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Barren [2] — Barren, Turngerät aus zwei parallelen, horizontalen, auf je zwei gleich! hohen Stützen ruhenden Hölzern (Holmen). Höhe und Abstand der Holmen richten sich nach den verschiedenen Altersstufen, von denen das Gerät benutzt wird Gegenwärtig benutzt… …   Lexikon der gesamten Technik

  • barren — [adj1] unable to support growth arid, depleted, desert, desolate, dry, effete, empty, fallow, fruitless, impotent, impoverished, infecund, infertile, parched, sterile, unbearing, uncultivable, unfertile, unfruitful, unproductive, waste; concepts… …   New thesaurus

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