barrel

Everyday

1. A barrel is a big round container with a flat top and bottom, usually made of wood or metal, used to hold liquids or other goods. tree →
2. A barrel is the long tube of a gun, through which the bullet comes out. tree →
3. A barrel is also an amount (for oil it is about 159 litres). tree →
4. To barrel along means to move very fast and without control. tree →

In the lessons

In history and stories barrels held water, apples, fish and gunpowder on ships and in shops; pirates hide in barrels. In maths, barrels are often used in capacity problems (a barrel holds so many litres). In everyday life: a water barrel collects rain. Phrases: «a barrel of laughs» (lots of fun), «scrape the bottom of the barrel» (use the worst of what is left), «over a barrel» (in a hard position).

Examples

• The pirates rolled a barrel of rum onto the ship. tree →
• We collect rainwater in a barrel for the garden. tree →
• A barrel holds 50 litres, so 4 barrels hold 200 litres. tree →
• Apples were stored in barrels for the winter. tree →
• The truck came barrelling down the hill. tree →
• The party was a barrel of laughs. tree →
• Then they came and rolled the barrel towards the water. tree →

Note

Countable: barrels. Double r, one l: barrel. British past: barrelled; American: barreled. A barrel is wider in the middle than at the ends. In maths problems «a barrel» is a unit of how much it holds, so multiply by the number of barrels.