Bar sinister

Bar Bar (b[aum]r), n. [OE. barre, F. barre, fr. LL. barra, W. bar the branch of a tree, bar, baren branch, Gael. & Ir. barra bar. [root]91.] 1. A piece of wood, metal, or other material, long in proportion to its breadth or thickness, used as a lever and for various other purposes, but especially for a hindrance, obstruction, or fastening; as, the bars of a fence or gate; the bar of a door. [1913 Webster]

Thou shalt make bars of shittim wood. --Ex. xxvi. 26. [1913 Webster]

2. An indefinite quantity of some substance, so shaped as to be long in proportion to its breadth and thickness; as, a bar of gold or of lead; a bar of soap. [1913 Webster]

3. Anything which obstructs, hinders, or prevents; an obstruction; a barrier. [1913 Webster]

Must I new bars to my own joy create? --Dryden. [1913 Webster]

4. A bank of sand, gravel, or other matter, esp. at the mouth of a river or harbor, obstructing navigation. [1913 Webster]

5. Any railing that divides a room, or office, or hall of assembly, in order to reserve a space for those having special privileges; as, the bar of the House of Commons. [1913 Webster]

6. (Law) (a) The railing that incloses the place which counsel occupy in courts of justice. Hence, the phrase at the bar of the court signifies in open court. (b) The place in court where prisoners are stationed for arraignment, trial, or sentence. (c) The whole body of lawyers licensed in a court or district; the legal profession. (d) A special plea constituting a sufficient answer to plaintiff's action. [1913 Webster]

7. Any tribunal; as, the bar of public opinion; the bar of God. [1913 Webster]

8. A barrier or counter, over which liquors and food are passed to customers; hence, the portion of the room behind the counter where liquors for sale are kept. [1913 Webster]

9. (Her.) An ordinary, like a fess but narrower, occupying only one fifth part of the field. [1913 Webster]

10. A broad shaft, or band, or stripe; as, a bar of light; a bar of color. [1913 Webster]

11. (Mus.) A vertical line across the staff. Bars divide the staff into spaces which represent measures, and are themselves called measures. [1913 Webster]

Note: A double bar marks the end of a strain or main division of a movement, or of a whole piece of music; in psalmody, it marks the end of a line of poetry. The term bar is very often loosely used for measure, i.e., for such length of music, or of silence, as is included between one bar and the next; as, a passage of eight bars; two bars' rest. [1913 Webster]

12. (Far.) pl. (a) The space between the tusks and grinders in the upper jaw of a horse, in which the bit is placed. (b) The part of the crust of a horse's hoof which is bent inwards towards the frog at the heel on each side, and extends into the center of the sole. [1913 Webster]

13. (Mining) (a) A drilling or tamping rod. (b) A vein or dike crossing a lode. [1913 Webster]

14. (Arch.) (a) A gatehouse of a castle or fortified town. (b) A slender strip of wood which divides and supports the glass of a window; a sash bar. [1913 Webster]

{Bar shoe} (Far.), a kind of horseshoe having a bar across the usual opening at the heel, to protect a tender frog from injury.

{Bar shot}, a double headed shot, consisting of a bar, with a ball or half ball at each end; -- formerly used for destroying the masts or rigging in naval combat.

{Bar sinister} (Her.), a term popularly but erroneously used for baton, a mark of illegitimacy. See {Baton}.

{Bar tracery} (Arch.), ornamental stonework resembling bars of iron twisted into the forms required.

{Blank bar} (Law). See {Blank}.

{Case at bar} (Law), a case presently before the court; a case under argument.

{In bar of}, as a sufficient reason against; to prevent.

{Matter in bar}, or {Defence in bar}, any matter which is a final defense in an action.

{Plea in bar}, a plea which goes to bar or defeat the plaintiff's action absolutely and entirely.

{Trial at bar} (Eng. Law), a trial before all the judges of one the superior courts of Westminster, or before a quorum representing the full court. [1913 Webster]