ENGLISH
REFERENCE

barracks

n. C / U
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈbæɹəks// UK //bˈæɹəks// bar·racks

n. a building or group of buildings where soldiers live and sleep. It is usually a simple, shared space inside a military base.

n. a building or set of buildings used to accommodate military personnel. Often plural in form but can take a singular or plural verb depending on whether the focus is the complex or the individual buildings.


SIMPLE

The soldiers returned to the barracks after their morning training.

CONTEXTUAL

Life in the barracks requires a high level of discipline and constant cooperation with other members of the unit.

COMPLEX

The historic barracks, once a site of intense military activity, has been converted into a museum that preserves the daily experiences of infantrymen from the previous century.

Synonyms
Usage

Often treated as a singular noun ('a barracks') despite the 's' ending; can also function as a plural noun referring to the individual buildings.

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