barrier

barrier
bar|ri|er
W3 [ˈbæriə US -ər] n
[Date: 1300-1400; : Old French; Origin: barriere, from barre; BAR1]
1.) a rule, problem etc that prevents people from doing something, or limits what they can do
the removal of trade barriers (=something such as a tax that makes trade between countries difficult)
barrier to
Problems with childcare remain the biggest barrier to women succeeding at work.
barrier between
We want to break down barriers between doctors and patients.
The language barrier (=the inability to communicate with someone because you speak a different language) makes debate impossible.
2.) a type of fence or gate that prevents people from moving in a particular direction
Crowds burst through the barriers and ran onto the pitch.
3.) a physical object that keeps two areas, people etc apart
barrier between
The mountains form a natural barrier between the two countries.
4.) the 10-second/40% etc barrier
a level or amount of 10 seconds, 40% etc, that is seen as a limit which it is difficult to get beyond
I'm hoping to crash the 20-second barrier in the final and get a bronze.

Dictionary of contemporary English. 2013.

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  • Barrier — may refer to: * Automatic full barriers, railway * Barricade * Crash barrier, highway * Language barrier, culture/linguistics * Noise barrier, noise prevention * Road block * Separation barrier, prevents the movement of people across a certain… …   Wikipedia

  • Barrier — steht für Korallenriffe: Great Barrier Reef, Australien Belize Barrier Reef, in der Karibik Inseln: Great Barrier Insel, Neuseeländische Insel Little Barrier Island, Neuseeländische Insel Bauwerke: SAFER Barrier, Streckenbegrenzungsmauer auf… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • barrier — UK US /ˈbæriər/ noun [C] ► something that prevents something else from happening or makes it more difficult: barrier (to sth) »In an ideal world, there would be no barriers to the free movement of people between countries. → See also NON TARIFF… …   Financial and business terms

  • Barrier — Bar ri*er, n. [OE. barrere, barere, F. barri[ e]re, fr. barre bar. See {Bar}, n.] 1. (Fort.) A carpentry obstruction, stockade, or other obstacle made in a passage in order to stop an enemy. [1913 Webster] 2. A fortress or fortified town, on the… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • barrier — (n.) early 14c., barere, from Anglo Fr. barrere, O.Fr. barriere obstacle, gatekeeper, from barre bar (see BAR (Cf. bar) (n.1)). First record of barrier reef is from 1805 …   Etymology dictionary

  • barrier — [n1] obstruction bar, barricade, blank wall, blockade, bound, boundary, confines, curtain, ditch, enclosure, fence, fortification, gully, hurdle, impediment, limit, moat, obstacle, pale, palisade, railing, rampart, roadblock, stop, trench, wall;… …   New thesaurus

  • barrier — ► NOUN 1) an obstacle that prevents movement or access. 2) an obstacle to communication or progress: a language barrier. ORIGIN Old French barriere …   English terms dictionary

  • barrier — I noun bar, barricade, bound, boundary, bulwark, check, confines, enclosure, encumbrance, fence, fortification, hindrance, hurdle, impediment, interference, limit, obstacle, obstruction, partition, prevention, preventive, prohibition, protective… …   Law dictionary

  • barrier — n barricade, *bar …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • barrier — [bar′ē ər, ber′ē ər] n. [ME barrere < OFr barriere < barre,BAR1] 1. Obs. a fortress, stockade, etc. for defending an entrance or gate 2. a thing that prevents passage or approach; obstruction, as a fence, wall, etc. 3. anything that holds… …   English World dictionary

  • barrier — n. 1) to erect, place, set up a barrier 2) to overcome, take a barrier (the horse took the barrier easily) 3) to break down; remove a barrier 4) the sonic, sound barrier (to break the sound barrier) 5) a crush (BE), police barrier 6) a cultural;… …   Combinatory dictionary

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