barrel

The word “barrel” means a large, round wooden or metal container, usually bulging in the middle, used to store liquids or other goods. In plain terms, a large cylindrical container for liquids, a unit for measuring oil, the tube of a gun — or, as a verb, to move fast and out of control.

“Barrel” is pronounced BARL (/ˈbæɹəl/ in IPA).

Here is “barrel” used in a sentence: “The wine had been aging in oak barrels for over a decade.”

Depending on how it is used, “barrel” can be a noun and a verb.

The word “barrel” comes from Middle English. From Middle English barel, via Anglo-Norman baril, of uncertain deeper origin — possibly linked to a Germanic word for a storage container, or to "bear" in the sense of carrying something.

“Barrel” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.

“Barrel” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a large, round wooden or metal container, usually bulging in the middle, used to store liquids or other goods.

Both a barrel and a cask are round containers used to store liquids, but cask is a broader term that covers vessels of many sizes, while barrel often refers to a specific standard size within that range. In brewing and distilling, cask is the general word and barrel names a particular capacity.

As a unit of volume for measuring oil, a standard barrel equals 42 US gallons, or about 159 litres. This is the figure used in oil-price reporting when prices are quoted "per barrel."

Beyond the container sense, barrel also names the long tube-shaped part of a firearm through which a projectile travels. This meaning comes from the shape of the part rather than from a storage vessel.