Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun The horizontal bar in the old English open fireplace, on which the heavy kettle was hung over the fire.
  • noun In a carriage, a curved bar of ornamental character used to connect the tops of the rear springs and to act as a support for the pump-handles or body-loops.

Etymologies

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Examples

  • Although the back-bar was laden with liquor bottles, only the more common varieties looked to have been poured from within recent memory; the exotic types, such as a two-foot cone of Galliano, seemed to have been purchased for their decorative value, and were layered with grime.

    There's Something In A Sunday Muller, Marcia 1989

  • Colodny watched me in the back-bar mirror, holding a glass in one hand and stroking the six strands of hair on his scalp with the other.

    Hoodwink Pronzini, Bill 1981

  • Stacks of clean glasses vied for space with labeled bottles on the back-bar.

    Vigorish Randall Garrett 1957

  • Tracy stared at his reflection in the back-bar mirror.

    Murder Can Be Fun Brown, Fredric, 1906-1972 1948

  • Then Tracy quit grinning; he caught a glimpse of Jerry's face in the back-bar mirror.

    Murder Can Be Fun Brown, Fredric, 1906-1972 1948

  • He watched it fade in the back-bar mirror, and then motioned to Barney.

    Murder Can Be Fun Brown, Fredric, 1906-1972 1948

  • Johnny contemplated heaving the beer mug through the nicely decorated back-bar mirror.

    The Laughing Fox Gruber, Frank 1940

  • And that was why monster-hunters caused so few casualties in barroom shootings around Port Sandor, outside of bystanders and back-bar mirrors.

    Four-Day Planet H. Beam Piper 1934

  • Three doors up the street he entered a rival saloon where the bartender was idly arranging his glasses on the back-bar in anticipation of the inevitable rush of business which would descend upon him when the spirit should move the crowd in the Long Horn to start "going the rounds."

    The Texan A Story of the Cattle Country 1921

  • Underground cocktail bars in London are recreating that gin-palace vibe, pubs are increasing their back-bar selection of good gins like No 3, Chase, Sipsmith and Bombay Sapphire, and even the royal wedding has made people want something good and British to get stuck into.

    Evening Standard - Home Victoria Stewart 2011

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