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

  • (..) - We should have a few more meetings... - ... before we even talk about prescriptions. - Look, I'm having panic attacks. Other night, I thought I was having a heart attack. I puked in a barrel on the way over. I haven't slept for fucking weeks. - Is that true? - Yeah, that's true. (..)
    2006 The Departed