barricade

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a barrier (usually thrown up hastily) to impede the advance of an enemy

   They stormed the barricade.

2. 2
   verb

   to block off with barricades

   The students barricaded themselves into the dean's office.

3. 3
   verb

   to prevent access to by barricading

   The street where the President lives is always barricaded.

4. 4
   verb

   to render unsuitable for passage

   The protesters barricaded the street.

Simplified etymology

Barricade entered English from French in the late 16th century. The French word was formed from barrique, ‘cask’, ultimately from Spanish barrica. Its current sense arose from using barrels to build defenses and obstruct access. Barricado was formerly also used in English.

The noun is borrowed from French barricade, or an assimilation of the earlier barricado to the French form. The verb is from the noun or French barricader.

Topics

External links

• Google Images
• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary