barn

1
[ bahrn ]
/ bɑrn /

noun

a building for storing hay, grain, etc., and often for housing livestock.
a very large garage for buses, trucks, etc.; carbarn.

verb (used with object)

to store (hay, grain, etc.) in a barn.

Origin of barn

1
before 950; Middle English bern, Old English berern ( bere (see barley1) + ern, ǣrn house, cognate with Old Frisian fīaern cowhouse, Old High German erin, Gothic razn, Old Norse rann house; cf. ransack, rest1)

OTHER WORDS FROM barn

barn·like, adjective

Definition for barn (2 of 2)

barn 2
[ bahrn ]
/ bɑrn /

noun Physics.

a unit of nuclear cross section, equal to 10−24 square centimeter. Abbreviation: b

Origin of barn

2
First recorded in 1945–50; special use of barn1

Example sentences from the Web for barn

British Dictionary definitions for barn (1 of 2)

barn 1
/ (bɑːn) /

noun

a large farm outbuilding, used chiefly for storing hay, grain, etc, but also for housing livestock
US and Canadian a large shed for sheltering railroad cars, trucks, etc
any large building, esp an unattractive one
(modifier) relating to a system of poultry farming in which birds are allowed to move freely within a barn barn eggs

Word Origin for barn

Old English beren, from bere barley + ærn room; see barley 1

British Dictionary definitions for barn (2 of 2)

barn 2
/ (bɑːn) /

noun

a unit of nuclear cross section equal to 10 28 square metre Symbol: b

Word Origin for barn

C20: from barn 1; so called because of the relatively large cross section

Idioms and Phrases with barn

barn

see can't hit the broad side of a barn; lock the barn door after the horse is stolen.