ripping bar
- noun
- /ˈrɪpɪŋ bɑr/
- US
:
barreta
- The construction workers used a ripping bar to pry open the wooden crates.
Examples
-
He grabbed the ripping bar to pull out the old nails from the wall.
-
To dismantle the pallet, she employed a ripping bar for its chisel end.
-
"Here you are, First Sergeant -- a ripping bar to get the crates open.
Fiction book (1992)
Synonyms
45
2.9
A heavy metal bar with a curved end used to force things open and pull out nails
3
4.8
A heavy metal tool with a flat pointed end used to lift things and pull nails
1
6.5
A long strong iron bar with a flat or forked end that you use to force things apart
1
7.4
A long strong metal tool with a pointed end used to lift heavy things
How Heavy
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is a transparent compositional noun: 'ripping' (tearing/prying) modifies 'bar' (a long rigid piece), so the meaning ‘a bar used for ripping/prying’ is directly derivable from the constituents. This is a common adjectival-participle + noun pattern that a B1 learner who knows both words can readily interpret even if they haven't seen the specific tool name before.
Etymology
Ripping bar is named for what the tool does: the heavy bar with a flat chisel end and a curved claw is used to rip up boards and pull nails out, so you can picture it tearing things apart. That's why the name means 'a bar for ripping things apart'.