ENGLISH
REFERENCE

barge in

phr. v..
B2 Upper Intermediate Oxford

phr. v.. to enter a room or join a conversation suddenly and rudely without being invited.

phr. v.. to enter a space or interrupt a situation abruptly and without permission; carries a strong connotation of social clumsiness or lack of consideration for others' privacy.


SIMPLE

I was sleeping when my brother decided to barge in.

CONTEXTUAL

It is very rude to barge in on a private meeting without knocking first.

COMPLEX

The investigators decided to barge in during the suspect's dinner, hoping the element of surprise would prevent him from destroying any evidence.

Particles
in
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
barge + in (+ on + object)
Usage

often used with the preposition 'on' when followed by a person or an activity.

Teaching tip

anchor the meaning with the physical image of a 'barge' (a heavy boat) pushing through water to help students remember the sense of forceful, clumsy movement.

Pitfall

He barged in the room.He barged into the room.use 'into' for a physical space or 'on' for a situation; 'in' alone is used when no object follows.

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