What does "barrack" mean?
A building for soldiers, especially within a garrison; originally referred to temporary huts, now usually to a permanent structure or set of buildings.
Barrack
/ˈbæɹ.ək/ name, noun, verb, slang
name, noun, verb, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A building for soldiers, especially within a garrison; originally referred to temporary huts, now usually to a permanent structure or set of buildings.
- Grammar: barrack is listed as name, noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: accommodate, barracks, bivouac, boo.
- Useful contrasts: applaud, cheer, displace.
- Usage evidence: Life in the ship became nearly as systematically monotonous as the routine of a barrack. I do not mean that it was dull, for it was not entirely so by any means—but there was a good deal of sameness about it.
How to use "barrack"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "barrack" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "barrack" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "barrack" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "barrack" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
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- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "barrack" is acting as name, noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "accommodate" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
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Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "barrack", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A building for soldiers, especially within a garrison; originally referred to temporary huts, now usually to a permanent structure or set of buildings. in-plural
"Before the gates of Bari, he lodged in a miserable hut or barrack, composed of dry branches, and thatched with straw; a perilous station, on all sides open to the inclemency of the winter and the spears of the enemy."
- 2 a building or group of buildings used to house military personnel wordnet
- 3 A primitive structure resembling a long shed or barn for (usually temporary) housing or other purposes. in-plural
- 4 Any very plain, monotonous, or ugly large building. broadly, in-plural
- 5 A (structure with a) movable roof sliding on four posts, to cover hay, straw, etc. US
Show 1 more definition
- 6 A police station. Ireland, colloquial, plural-normally
Verb
- 1 To house military personnel; to quarter. transitive
"Where the men were barracked alone, unnatural crime prevailed : where the women were barracked, contrivances were made to render such a place a brothel."
- 2 To jeer and heckle; to attempt to disconcert by verbal means. British, transitive
"I knew that he had been barracked at times, but I did not realise that he was so sensitive."
- 3 laugh at with contempt and derision wordnet
- 4 To live in barracks. intransitive
- 5 To cheer for or support a team. Australia, New-Zealand, intransitive
"The only really unique aspect of Australian barracking is its idiom, the distinctive language and humour involved."
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 spur on or encourage especially by cheers and shouts wordnet
- 7 lodge in barracks wordnet
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname.
- 2 A male given name.
Example
"Life in the ship became nearly as systematically monotonous as the routine of a barrack. I do not mean that it was dull, for it was not entirely so by any means—but there was a good deal of sameness about it."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "barrack"?
Common synonyms include: accommodate, barracks, bivouac, boo, camp, chaff.
How do you use "barrack" in a sentence?
Life in the ship became nearly as systematically monotonous as the routine of a barrack. I do not mean that it was dull, for it was not entirely so by any means—but there was a good deal of sameness about it.
How do you pronounce "barrack"?
Pronounced /ˈbæɹ.ək/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
Borrowed from French baraque, from Spanish barraca or Catalan barraca, which is of uncertain origin. It is probably either a diminutive of Vulgar Latin *barra (“bar”), of unclear origin, or a diminutive of Vulgar Latin *barrum (“clay, mud”) from Celtiberian or Paleo-Hispanic.
Etymology 2
Scottish habitational surname.
Etymology 3
Variant of Barack.