bar mask
- noun
- /bɑr mæsk/
- US
- The catcher put on his bar mask before stepping onto the field.
Examples
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Some players prefer a bar mask over a solid mask for its lighter weight.
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A bar mask provides protection while still allowing clear visibility.
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The catcher wore a new bar mask during the game.
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I need to buy a bar mask for my son.
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A bar mask provides protection while still allowing clear visibility during the game.
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The catcher decided to use a bar mask because it was lighter than his old one.
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Before the match, the team informed the new player about the benefits of a bar mask.
Synonyms
A covering worn on the face to hide, protect, or decorate it
A protective covering worn over the face in sports to prevent injury
A mask a baseball catcher wears to protect the face from being hurt
A strong wire mask a baseball catcher wears to protect the face
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a catcher's mask constructed with protecting bars rather than a solid faceplate' is directly derivable from combining 'bar' (a rigid piece) and 'mask' (a face covering). This is a straightforward modifier+noun composition rather than an idiom, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would be able to infer the MWE's meaning.
Etymology
Bar mask comes from the mask's look: instead of a solid front it has metal bars across the face like a small cage. Those bars protect the catcher while still letting them see, so the name came to mean 'a catcher's mask made with protecting bars'.