movable barrier
- noun
- /ˈmuːvəbl ˈbæriər/
:
barrera móvil
- During the event, the organizers used movable barriers to create a safe walking path for attendees.
Examples
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Traffic cops had shifted the movable barriers on Canal Street to let them through.
Fiction book (2001) -
The city installed movable barriers on the highway to control traffic during construction.
-
Movable barriers were placed along the race track to guide the runners safely past the audience.
Synonyms
793
1.0
A barrier that opens and closes in a fence or wall
163
2.8
A thing that blocks movement or keeps places apart
83
4.8
A barrier put up to block a road or entrance
A temporary barrier on a road that slows vehicles and guides traffic
A block that keeps a vehicle from moving past the end of a track
How Movable
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a barrier that can be moved' is directly and compositionally derived from 'movable' (capable of being moved) modifying 'barrier' (an obstacle). This follows a standard adjective+noun pattern found across languages, so a B1 learner who knows both words will readily understand the expression.
Etymology
Movable barrier paints a simple picture: a barrier that is movable, like a gate or fence on wheels that can be pushed aside to open a path. Because it can be moved, it is used to 'allow or restrict passage', so the term means a barrier you can move to let people in or keep them out.