barring-out
Definition
Noun: - A schoolroom protest: "barring-out" refers to a historical practice in which schoolchildren lock or bar the doors of their classroom to prevent their teacher from entering, typically as a form of protest or rebellion against authority.
Usage Examples
- (A protest by locking the teacher out of the classroom.)
- (A documented practice of classroom rebellion.)
Advanced Usage
"to stage a barring-out": to initiate this form of protest.
- The pupils staged a barring-out when the headmaster announced stricter rules. (They locked the door to show discontent.)
"a barring-out incident": an event involving this protest.
- The school expelled several ringleaders after the barring-out incident. (The protest led to disciplinary action.)
Variants and Related Words
Bar (v): to close or block with a bar.
- They barred the door with a heavy wooden plank. (They blocked the entrance.)
Barring (prep): except for; excluding.
- Barring any delays, we will arrive by noon. (Unless there are delays.)
Synonyms
- Lockout: a situation where people are prevented from entering a place, often as a protest or employer action.
- Rebellion: an act of resistance against authority.
Related Idioms
- To lock the door on someone: to deliberately exclude someone from a place.
- The students locked the door on the teacher during the barring-out. (They physically blocked entry.)
Notes
- This term is primarily historical and associated with educational settings in Britain and North America. It is rarely used in modern contexts, but appears in literature and historical studies.