English Reference
noun · verb

barn

n. · v.
US /ˈbɑɹn/ UK /bˈɑːn/ barn UK spelling barn's, barn's

  1. 01 A2 Elementary

    n.a large building on a farm used for keeping animals or storing grain and equipment.

    n.a large agricultural building used for the storage of farm products and the sheltering of livestock.

    Simple

    The farmer kept the tractor and the hay inside the big red barn.

    In context

    During the winter months, the cattle are moved from the open pastures into the barn to protect them from the freezing temperatures.

    outbuildingshedstable
  2. 02 B2 Upper Intermediate Informal Sport

    n.a large, often old or simple sports building or arena.

    n.an informal term for a large, cavernous building used for public events, particularly a hockey or basketball arena.

    Simple

    The local team has played in the same old barn for over fifty years.

    In context

    Despite its lack of modern amenities, the old barn provided an incredibly loud and intimidating atmosphere for visiting teams.

  3. 03 C2 Proficiency Technical Science

    n.a very small unit used in science to measure the area of an atom's nucleus.

    n.a unit of area, equivalent to 10⁻²⁸ square metres, used to quantify the cross section of atomic nuclei.

    Simple

    The scientists measured the reaction in barns to understand how the particles collided.

    In context

    The probability of a specific nuclear interaction is expressed as a cross section, typically measured in barns or millibarns.

  4. 04 C1 Advanced Formal Cooking

    v.to put crops or animals into a barn.

    v.to store or house agricultural produce or livestock within a barn structure.

    Simple

    They worked until dark to barn the last of the hay before the storm.

    In context

    The harvest was successfully barned just as the autumn rains began to saturate the fields.

This entry
Level A2 · Elementary
Frequency Frequent
Updated