This refers to an unpleasant experience, often involving physical or verbal assaults from other people. This is often used in the expression "(one's) time in the barrel" or "turn in the barrel", with the implication that other persons have to go through this experience as well, and now it is one's own turn.
This expression has apparently been frequently used by persons in the armed services, for example:
- used of US troops in Viet Nam under a long artillery siege
- used by astronauts to refer to press appearances and conferences, which they disliked
- used by a veteran of the Australian Navy to refer to sexual assaults and harassment of newer recruits
Other uses (including uses in fiction) have included being in jail, being investigated by the police, working the front desk at an FBI office, being subject to academic criticism, facing difficult audiences on the country music circuit, and having one's stolen emails exposed to public view.
The origin of this expression is not clear. A person born in southern Indiana in 1922 reported that when he was a child, a game called "your turn in the barrel" involved one child standing in a barrel while the other children stood in a circle around him attempting to hit him by throwing dirt, fruit, and the like.
There is a "joke" about sailors taking turns in a barrel providing sexual gratification to their entire company, but this may postdate the term.
This expression has apparently been frequently used by persons in the armed services, for example:
- used of US troops in Viet Nam under a long artillery siege
- used by astronauts to refer to press appearances and conferences, which they disliked
- used by a veteran of the Australian Navy to refer to sexual assaults and harassment of newer recruits
Other uses (including uses in fiction) have included being in jail, being investigated by the police, working the front desk at an FBI office, being subject to academic criticism, facing difficult audiences on the country music circuit, and having one's stolen emails exposed to public view.
The origin of this expression is not clear. A person born in southern Indiana in 1922 reported that when he was a child, a game called "your turn in the barrel" involved one child standing in a barrel while the other children stood in a circle around him attempting to hit him by throwing dirt, fruit, and the like.
There is a "joke" about sailors taking turns in a barrel providing sexual gratification to their entire company, but this may postdate the term.
"It was his day. Once a year, every year, it was his turn in the barrel. Like every other agent on the ninth floor of the Dirksen Federal Building, Buck hated complaint duty.." - T. W. Greensmith, "Guardians of the Tomb", 2002
"From an historical perspective, several experts in the game of reading have taken their 'turn in the barrel' , contributing to the think-tank of reading" - Robert L. Pabst, "The Think-Tank of Reading, or Is the Barrel Full?", 1975
"If a bully decides he feels like kicking your ass, you are getting your ass kicked. Sometimes it happens for no reason at all except it's just your turn in the barrel." - Jay Mohr, "No Wonder My Parents Drank: Tales from a Stand-Up Dad", 2010
"From an historical perspective, several experts in the game of reading have taken their 'turn in the barrel' , contributing to the think-tank of reading" - Robert L. Pabst, "The Think-Tank of Reading, or Is the Barrel Full?", 1975
"If a bully decides he feels like kicking your ass, you are getting your ass kicked. Sometimes it happens for no reason at all except it's just your turn in the barrel." - Jay Mohr, "No Wonder My Parents Drank: Tales from a Stand-Up Dad", 2010
by RogersParkTed November 28, 2018
Get the in the barrel mug.He'll understand
by The Pimp March 5, 2004
Get the just tell peppy you couldn't do a barrel roll because you were too busy getting stoned mug.Related Words
This term is used as sarcastic description of something not being very much fun. A barrel of monkeys are actually little plastic monkeys, and their arms can loop together to make a chain. In other words, not very fun.
by dudefromSD December 27, 2007
Get the A barrel full of monkeys mug.From the people who brought you the shotgun... The double-barrel shotgun will revolutionize the way you get trashed...A double shot of vodka immediately followed by a shotgunned beer...alcohol consumption has never been so efficient
by Hamilton Porter December 18, 2010
Get the Double Barrel Shotgun mug."Double-barrel buck shot" is actually mixing 2 related terms. "Double-barrel" is any gun using two barrels; they can be "over-under" or side-by-side. Here Beck is referring to a shotgun, because he follows that by saying "buck shot" which, btw, is generally written "buckshot" (one word). Shotgun shells are generally filled with small pellets that spread out after they leave the barrel. Buckshot is larger, heavy pellets used for home defense or hunting large game - like a "buck," which is a male deer. Hence the name.
To punish Beck for inventing the term double-barrel buck shot, I grabbed my grandfather's double barrel from over the fireplace and unloaded two rounds of buckshot into Beck's ass.
by Pointless_Contributor November 30, 2015
Get the double-barrel buck shot mug.An unfunny or annoying person.
The term was originally used to refer to a funny person or situation, but is used sarcastically so often that the original meaning is all but lost.
Similar to laugh riot.
The term was originally used to refer to a funny person or situation, but is used sarcastically so often that the original meaning is all but lost.
Similar to laugh riot.
by Lady Chevalier May 14, 2005
Get the barrel of laughs mug.This rare event occurs when poker pro Doyle Brunson performs a 3 Barrel bluff. This is when bets are placed on the flop, turn and river. The opponent gives up on the river and folds.
by Praz Bansi November 7, 2011
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