bar (redirected from barring)

*behind bars

in jail. (*Typically: be ~; put someone ~.) Very soon, you will be behind bars for your crimes. Max should be behind bars soon for his conviction on burglary charges.

See also: behind

bar someone from some place

to prevent someone from entering some place. Please don't bar me from the movie theater. I will be quiet from now on. They were barred from the concert for smoking.

See also: place, some

bar none

with no exceptions. (Follows an assertion.) This is the best of all, bar none.

See also: none

Katie bar the door

Prepare immediately for an advancing threat. Katie bar the door, the grandchildren are here and they all look hungry.

See also: door

raise the bar

Fig. to make a task a little more difficult. (As with raising the bar in high jumping or pole vaulting.) Just as I was getting accustomed to my job, the manager raised the bar and I had to perform even better.

See also: raise

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behind bars  (informal)

in prison He spent ten years behind bars after being convicted for armed robbery.

See also: behind

It's all over bar the shouting.  (British & Australian)

something that you say when the result of an event or situation is certain The Italian team played superbly, and by half-time it was all over bar the shouting (= it was certain they would win).

See a shouting match

See also: shout

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bar none

without omitting anyone or anything Terrell is the best player in the division, bar none.

Usage notes: used when comparing someone or something to all others of the same type

See also: none

behind bars

in prison It's impossible to imagine what it would be like to spend your whole life behind bars.

Etymology: based on the literal bars used to build a prison

See also: behind