barrel

Definition

  • noun: a round usually wooden container with curved sides and flat ends
  • noun: a round bulging vessel of greater length than breadth that is usually made of staves bound with hoops and has flat ends of equal diameter
  • verb: to move very fast and often in an uncontrolled or dangerous way
  • verb: to put or pack in a barrel
  • synonyms: jar

Examples

  • The excessive coverage of the scandal signals that the news media may have finally hit/reached 'the bottom of the barrel'.

  • Salaries in the industry are scraping/hitting 'the bottom of the barrel'. [=salaries in the industry are very low]

  • Several people have lost their jobs recently, so the office isn't exactly a 'barrel of laughs' these days.

Movie clips

Movie quotes

  • (..) Honey, I'm sure he's around. You'll find him. It's too short! We need more monkeys! There aren't any more! That's the whole barrel! Buzz, the monkeys aren't working! We're formulating another plan! Stay calm! Oh, where could he be? (..)
    1995 Toy Story