Barrage
noun, verb ·Common ·High school level
Definitions
- 1 An artificial obstruction, such as a dam, in a river designed to increase its depth or to divert its flow.
- 2 the heavy fire of artillery to saturate an area rather than hit a specific target wordnet
- 3 A heavy curtain of artillery fire directed in front of one's own troops to screen and protect them.
"The 75s of V Corps fired a standard rolling barrage, while the larger 155 mm and 8-inch pieces fired standing barrages 500 meters beyond the barrage line. For the rolling barrage, one battery in each battalion fired low, bursting shrapnel instead of the standard high explosive."
- 4 the rapid and continuous delivery of linguistic communication (spoken or written) wordnet
- 5 A concentrated discharge of projectile weapons.
"Blast after blast, fiery outbreak after fiery outbreak, like a flaming barrage from within,[…]most of Edison's grounds soon became an inferno. As though on an incendiary rampage, the fires systematically devoured the contents of Edison's headquarters and facilities."
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- 6 An overwhelming outburst of words, especially of criticism. broadly
"Lesser lawyers who were vague in oral argument faced a barrage of sarcasm or, if he agreed with them, constant chiding to do better."
- 7 A "next hit wins" contest to determine the winner of a bout in case of a tie.
- 8 Type of firework containing a mixture of firework types in one single-ignition package.
- 1 To direct a barrage at. transitive
"Maybe now her daughter would stop barraging her with questions about her past."
- 2 address with continuously or persistently, as if with a barrage wordnet
Antonyms
All antonymsExample
More examples"The minister had to face a barrage of questions from the press."
Etymology
Unadapted borrowing from French barrage (“barrage, barrier”) c. 1859. Compare barrier.