barrack

plural barracks

1. in pluralgovernmentA building for soldiers, especially within a garrison; originally referred to temporary huts, now usually to a permanent structure or set of buildings.

   I know the barracks at the training camp out on the moors.

   1996, Erich Maria Remarque, translated by Brian Murdoch, All Quiet on the Western Front, page 129

   2 more examples

   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.

   1829, Edward Gibbon, The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, volume 4, page 67

   1919, House Committee on Military Affairs, Army Reorganization: Hearings Before the Committee on Military Affairs, House of Representatives, 66th Congress, 1st Session, on H.R. 8287, H.R. 8068, H.R. 7925, H.R. 8870, Sept. 3, 1919-Nov. 12, 1919, Parts 23-43, page 1956, How do you distinguish between the disciplinary barracks and the penitentiary? Where are the disciplinary barracks ?

2. in pluralA primitive structure resembling a long shed or barn for (usually temporary) housing or other purposes.
3. broadlyin pluralAny very plain, monotonous, or ugly large building.
4. USA (structure with a) movable roof sliding on four posts, to cover hay, straw, etc.
5. Irelandcolloquialplural normallyA police station.

present singular third person barracks · participle present barracking · participle past barracked · past barracked

1. transitiveTo house military personnel; to quarter.

   Where the men were barracked alone, unnatural crime prevailed : where the women were barracked, contrivances were made to render such a place a brothel.

   1825, Richard Carlile, The Republican, volume 11, page 276

2. intransitiveTo live in barracks.

present singular third person barracks · participle present barracking · participle past barracked · past barracked

1. UKtransitiveTo jeer and heckle; to attempt to disconcert by verbal means.

   I knew that he had been barracked at times, but I did not realise that he was so sensitive.

   1934, Herbert Chapman, Herbert Chapman on Football, page 140

   2 more examples

   Some people stopped concentrating on the piece altogether, some started barracking and heckling, while others began chatting to one another.

   2006, Ramsay Burt, Judson Dance Theater: Performative traces, page 192

   Its basic tenet was to say that if those Arsenal supporters who barracked the board at home games could do any better, let them come forward, put some money in the club, and have a go at being directors themselves. In short, ‘Put up or shut up’, which, of course, only encouraged Johnny and One-armed Lou to heckle the Arsenal board even more. Dear old Dennis, he had no idea the barracking he and his fellow Arsenal directors suffered at every home game came from Spurs supporters.

   2009, Jimmy Greaves, The Heart of the Game, unnumbered page

   Synonyms: badger, jeer, tease, make fun of, badger, gird, heckle, jeer

2. AustraliaNew ZealandintransitiveTo cheer for or support a team.

   ‘So to me barracking for the footy I identified with my father, although nobody barracked for Essendon.’

   2010, John Cash, Joy Damousi, Footy Passions, page 75

   2 more examples

   The only really unique aspect of Australian barracking is its idiom, the distinctive language and humour involved.

   1988, J. A. Mangan, editor, Pleasure, Profit, Proselytism: British Culture and Sport at Home and Abroad 1700-1914, page 266

   I had by then explained to him my custom of occasionally listening to Australian Rules Football on our shortwave radio of a Saturday afternoon; how, despite my barracking for Essendon, I thought a player from Geelong, Gary Ablett, the best I had ever seen.

   2009, Roger Averill, Boy He Cry: An Island Odyssey, page 115

   Synonyms: cheer, root for, acclaim, acclamate, applaud, hail, beclap, cheer

plural Barracks

1. A surname.

1. A male given name from Arabic.