noun

1. a large, wooden, cylindrical container with flat, circular ends and sides that bulge outward, made usually of staves bound together with hoops
2. the capacity or contents of a standard barrel, esp. as a unit of measure (in the U.S., 31 gal, but for petroleum, 42 gal and for fermented beverages, 31 gal; in Gr. Brit., 36 imperial gal; in dry measure, various amounts, as 196 lb of flour, 200 lb of pork or fish, etc.)
3. a revolving cylinder, wound with a chain or rope the barrel of a windlass
4. any hollow or solid cylinder the barrel of a fountain pen
5. the tube of a gun, through which the projectile is fired
6. the cylindrical case containing the mainspring of a clock or watch
7. the piston chamber of a pump
8. the quill of a feather
9. Informal a great amount a barrel of fun

Etymology: ME barel < OFr baril < ML barillus < ?

transitive verb barreled -·reled or barrelled -·relled, barreling -·rel·ing or barrelling -·rel·ling

intransitive verb