Definition

1. Noun:
   • A room or establishment where alcoholic drinks are served over a counter: A barroom is a commercial establishment, often part of a larger venue like a hotel or restaurant, primarily dedicated to serving alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises. It is characterized by a long counter or bar.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The old barroom on the corner has been serving the neighborhood for fifty years.
  • After work, he stopped by the barroom for a quick beer.
  • The noise from the crowded barroom could be heard out on the street.

Advanced Usage

• "barroom brawl": a physical fight that breaks out in a barroom.
  • The police were called to break up a barroom brawl.
• "barroom stool": a tall seat designed for use at the counter in a barroom.
  • He sat on a barroom stool and ordered a drink.

Variants and Related Words

• Bar (n): A more common and general synonym for a barroom; can also refer to the counter itself.
  • Let's meet at the bar for a drink.
• Pub (n): A British term for an establishment similar to a barroom, often emphasizing a cozy, communal atmosphere.
  • We had dinner at a traditional English pub.
• Tavern (n): An older term for an establishment serving alcoholic drinks and often food; can imply a more rustic or historic setting.
  • The historic tavern dates back to the 18th century.
• Saloon (n): A term, now somewhat dated or regional, for a barroom, often associated with the American Old West.
  • The cowboy walked into the saloon.

Synonyms

• Public house: A formal term, especially in British English, for an establishment licensed to sell alcoholic drinks.
• Taproom: A room in a hotel or inn where beer and other drinks are served on tap.
• Lounge: A more modern term that can refer to a bar area, often within a hotel or upscale establishment.

Related Phrases

• Over the bar: Referring to drinks served from behind the counter.
  • The bartender served the drinks over the bar.
• Barroom talk: Casual, often uninhibited conversation typical in a barroom setting.
  • It was just barroom talk; don't take it seriously.

Related Idioms

• "Mind your Ps and Qs": An idiom sometimes said to originate from bartenders keeping track of patrons' pints and quarts in a barroom, meaning to be on one's best behavior.
  • When meeting the boss, be sure to mind your Ps and Qs.

Noun

1. a room or establishment where alcoholic drinks are served over a counter
   • he drowned his sorrows in whiskey at the bar