a large curved container with a flat top and bottom, made of wood or metal, and used for storing beer, wine etc

〔中间鼓起的〕桶:

The wine is aged in oak barrels.

这种葡萄酒是用橡木酒桶放陈的。

barrels of beer

一桶桶啤酒;

a unit of measurement for oil, equal to 159 litres

一桶〔石油计量单位，相当于 159 升〕:

two million barrels of oil

两百万桶石油

the part of a gun that the bullets are fired through

枪管; 炮管

have sb over a barrel, to put someone in a situation in which they are forced to accept or do what you want

使某人处于被动（不利）的地位:

The manager had us over a barrel – either we work on a Saturday or we lose our jobs.

经理迫使我们就范，要么星期六上班，要么丢掉工作。

be a barrel of laughs, [often in negatives] to be very enjoyable

很好玩:

Life is not exactly a barrel of laughs at the moment.

眼下的生活景况不容乐观。

to move very fast, especially in an uncontrolled way

高速行驶，飞奔; 〔尤指失控地〕飞驰:

A vehicle barreled out of a shopping center and crashed into the side of my car.

一辆汽车从购物中心飞也似的冲出来，一头撞到了我车子的一侧。