- barrier
- noun1 fence/gateADJECTIVE▪ physical▪ crash, crush (BrE), flood, police, protective, safety (esp. BrE), security, ticket (BrE)▪ concrete▪ sound (figurative)▪
the first plane to break the sound barrier
VERB + BARRIER▪ build, erect, install▪ jump▪ break through▪The crowd managed to break through the barriers.
PREPOSITION▪ at a/the barrier▪Please show your ticket at the barrier. (BrE)
▪ behind a/the barrier▪The police waited behind the barriers.
▪ through a/the barrier▪There was a slow trickle of people through the barriers.
2 thing that causes problemsADJECTIVE▪ effective, formidable, major▪ class, colour/color, cultural, institutional, language, racial, trade▪ invisible▪ artificial▪ impenetrable, insurmountableVERB + BARRIER▪ build, create, erect, put up, set up▪The old laws created barriers to free trade.
▪ break, break down, eliminate, lift, lower, reduce, remove▪ identify▪ cross▪They believe that music can cross any barriers.
▪ be faced with, encounter, face▪ overcome, transcendPREPOSITION▪ barrier against▪The country has set up barriers against imports.
▪ barrier between▪a class barrier between the two families
▪ barrier to▪a formidable barrier to communication
3 physical object that prevents sb/sth passingADJECTIVE▪ impassable, impenetrable▪ naturalVERB + BARRIER▪ formPREPOSITION▪ barrier between▪The mountains form a natural barrier between the two countries.
Collocations dictionary. 2013.