barrier

barrier
bar|ri|er [ `beriər ] noun count **
1. ) a bar or gate that stops people or vehicles from entering a place:
Fans broke through the barriers and rushed onto the field.
a ) something that separates one thing from another:
The river is the last barrier between the rebel army and the city.
2. ) anything that prevents progress or makes it difficult for someone to achieve something: OBSTACLE:
These regulations would place barriers in the way of genetic research.
barrier to: Disability need not be a barrier to a successful career.
High levels of debt are a major barrier to economic development.
a ) something that prevents people from communicating, working together, etc.:
Language differences did not appear to be a barrier.
cultural barriers
break down barriers: We're trying to break down barriers between young people from both communities.
b ) a number, limit, or level that is considered important because it is difficult to go past:
go through/break a barrier: the day the stock market broke the 10,000 barrier
The figure for inflation could go through the 5 percent barrier.

Usage of the words and phrases in modern English. 2013.

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Synonyms:

Look at other dictionaries:

  • 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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