ENGLISH
REFERENCE

barracks

n. · v.
US //ˈbæɹəks// UK //bˈæɹəks// bar·racks
  1. 1 military housing (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Military

    a building or group of buildings where soldiers live together.

    a building or group of buildings used to accommodate military personnel. Often functions as a singular noun despite the plural ending.

    Example

    The new soldiers were sent to the barracks to unpack their gear.

    Example

    The regiment was confined to barracks for the weekend while the commanding officer investigated the breach of security.
    Pitfall
    The soldiers lives in a barrack.
    The soldiers live in a barracks.

    Even when referring to a single building, the word is almost always used in the plural form 'barracks'.

  2. 2 shouting at players (v.)
    C1 Advanced British English Dialect Sport

    to shout loudly at a person or team to show you do not like them.

    to shout or jeer at a performer or a sports team to express disapproval or to distract them.

    Example

    The crowd started barracksing the referee after he made a controversial decision.

    Example

    The home fans began barracksing the visiting goalkeeper, hoping to rattle his nerves before the penalty shootout began.

    Usage

    In Australian and New Zealand English, this verb can actually mean the opposite: to cheer for or support a team.

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