n. [ F. baracan, bouracan (cf. Pr. barracan, It. baracane, Sp. barragan, Pg. barregana, LL. barracanus), fr. Ar. barrakān a kind of black gown, perh. fr. Per. barak a garment made of camel's hair. ] A thick, strong stuff, somewhat like camlet; -- still used for outer garments in the Levant. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. baraque, fr. It. baracca (cf. Sp. barraca), from LL. barra bar. See Bar, n. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. (Mil.) A building for soldiers, especially when in garrison. Commonly in the pl., originally meaning temporary huts, but now usually applied to a permanent structure or set of buildings. [ 1913 Webster ]

He lodged in a miserable hut or barrack, composed of dry branches and thatched with straw. Gibbon. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A movable roof sliding on four posts, to cover hay, straw, etc. [ Local, U.S. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To supply with barracks; to establish in barracks; as, to barrack troops. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To live or lodge in barracks. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ D. baar, OD. baer, naked, bare + kleed garment, i. e., cloth undressed or without nap. ] A home-made woolen blanket without nap. [ Local, New York ] Bartlett. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Sp. or Pg. barraca. See Barrack. ] A slave warehouse, or an inclosure where slaves are quartered temporarily. Du Chaillu. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } n. [ Native name. ] (Zool.) Any of several voracious pikelike marine fishes allied to the gray mullets, constituting the genus Sphyræna and family Sphyrænidæ. The great barracuda (Sphyræna barracuda) of the West Indies, Florida, etc., is often six feet or more long, and as dangerous as a shark. In Cuba its flesh is reputed to be poisonous. Sphyræna Argentea of the Pacific coast and Sphyræna sphyræna of Europe are smaller species, and are used as food. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

☞ That of Europe and our Atlantic coast is Sphyræna spet (or Sphyræna vulgaris); a southern species is Sphyræna picuda; the Californian is Sphyræna argentea. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Zool.) A large edible fresh-water fish of Australia and New Zealand (Thyrsites atun). [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F., fr. barrer to bar, from barre bar. ] (Engin.) An artificial bar or obstruction placed in a river or watercourse to increase the depth of water; as, the barrages of the Nile. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Written also barramunda. ] [ Native name. ] (Zool.) (a) A remarkable Australian fresh-water ganoid fish of the genus Ceratodus. (b) An Australian river fish (Osteoglossum Leichhardtii). [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

‖n. [ Sp. ] A ravine caused by heavy rains or a watercourse. [ Texas & N. Mex. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ F. ] A resin, called also galipot. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. baratour, OF. barateor deceiver, fr. OF. barater, bareter, to deceive, cheat, barter. See Barter, v. i. ] One guilty of barratry. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Law) Tainted with, or constituting, barratry. -- Bar"ra*trous*ly, adv. Kent. [1913 Webster]

n. [ Cf. F. baraterie, LL. barataria. See Barrator, and cf. Bartery. ] 1. (Law) The practice of exciting and encouraging lawsuits and quarrels. [ Also spelt barretry. ] Coke. Blackstone. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Mar. Law) A fraudulent breach of duty or willful act of known illegality on the part of a master of a ship, in his character of master, or of the mariners, to the injury of the owner of the ship or cargo, and without his consent. It includes every breach of trust committed with dishonest purpose, as by running away with the ship, sinking or deserting her, etc., or by embezzling the cargo. Kent. Park. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Scots Law) The crime of a judge who is influenced by bribery in pronouncing judgment. Wharton. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ Cf. F. débarrasser. See Embarrass. ] To disembarrass; to relieve. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Disembarrassed p. pr. & vb. n. Disembarrassing. ] [ Pref. dis- + embarrass: cf. F. désembarasser. ] To free from embarrassment, or perplexity; to clear; to extricate. [ 1913 Webster ]

To disembarrass himself of his companion. Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Freedom or relief from impediment or perplexity. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Embarrassed p. pr. & vb. n. Embarrassing. ] [ F. embarrasser (cf. Sp. embarazar, Pg. embaraçar, Pr. barras bar); pref. em- (L. in) + LL. barra bar. See Bar. ] 1. To hinder from freedom of thought, speech, or action by something which impedes or confuses mental action; to make (a person) unpleasantly self-conscious; to perplex; to discompose; to disconcert; as, laughter may embarrass an orator. [ wns=1 ]
Syn. -- abash, discompose, disconcert, discomfit, chagrin. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

2. To hinder from liberty of movement; to impede; to obstruct; as, business is embarrassed; public affairs are embarrassed. [ wns=2 ]
Syn. -- obstruct, blockade, block, hinder, stymie. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Com.) To involve in difficulties concerning money matters; to incumber with debt; to beset with urgent claims or demands; -- said of a person or his affairs; as, a man or his business is embarrassed when he can not meet his pecuniary engagements.

Syn. -- To hinder; perplex; entangle; confuse; puzzle; disconcert; abash; distress. -- To Embarrass, Puzzle, Perplex. We are puzzled when our faculties are confused by something we do not understand. We are perplexed when our feelings, as well as judgment, are so affected that we know not how to decide or act. We are embarrassed when there is some bar or hindrance upon us which impedes our powers of thought, speech, or motion. A schoolboy is puzzled by a difficult sum; a reasoner is perplexed by the subtleties of his opponent; a youth is sometimes so embarrassed before strangers as to lose his presence of mind. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. embarras. See Embarrass, v. t. ] Embarrassment. [ Obs. ] Bp. Warburton. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. 1. feeling uneasily or unpleasantly self-conscious due to some event or circumstance; as, she was embarrassed by her child's tantrums.
Syn. -- abashed, self-conscious. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. feeling inferior or unworthy and hence unpleasantly self-conscious; as, too embarrassed to say hello to his drunken father on the street.
Syn. -- chagrined, mortified. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

adj. 1. hard to deal with; as, greeted with an embarrassing silence.
Syn. -- awkward, disconcerting, off-putting, sticky, tight, unenviable. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. causing to feel shame or chagrin or vexation.
Syn. -- mortifying, shame-making. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ F. embarrassement. ] 1. A state of being embarrassed; perplexity; impediment to freedom of action; entanglement; hindrance; confusion or discomposure of mind, as from not knowing what to do or to say; disconcertedness. [ 1913 Webster ]

The embarrassment which inexperienced minds have often to express themselves upon paper. W. Irving. [ 1913 Webster ]

The embarrassments tom commerce growing out of the late regulations. Bancroft. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Difficulty or perplexity arising from the want of money to pay debts. [ 1913 Webster ]

pos>n. [ From Labarraque, a Parisian apothecary. ] (Med.) An aqueous solution of sodium hypochlorite, extensively used as a disinfectant. [ 1913 Webster ]

Sodium hypochlorite is the same compound used in the commercial trademarked bleach Clorox(TM). It has both disinfectant and bleaching activity. [ PJC ]

n. [ Pref. sub- + L. arra, arrha, earnest money. See Earnest a pledge. ] The ancient custom of betrothing by the bestowal, on the part of the man, of marriage gifts or tokens, as money, rings, or other presents, upon the woman. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Not embarrassed. Specifically: -- [ 1913 Webster ]

(a) Not perplexed in mind; not confused; as, the speaker appeared unembarrassed. [ 1913 Webster ]

(b) Free from pecuniary difficulties or encumbrances; as, he and his property are unembarrassed. [ 1913 Webster ]

(c) Free from perplexing connection; as, the question comes into court unembarrassed with irrelevant matter. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Freedom from embarrassment. [ 1913 Webster ]