▪ I. barre
(bɑː(r))
[F., lit. ‘bar’.]
1. Mus. = capo tasto; also, the placing of the forefinger of the left hand across the finger-board to act as a capo tasto. So ‖ barré (bɑːreɪ) a. [ppl. a. of F. barrer to bar], (of a chord) played with all strings stopped in this way.
| 1876 Stainer & Barrett Dict. Mus. terms 51/1 Barré. 1900 Grove Dict. Mus. I. 135/1 ‘Barre’ designates the false nut made by placing the first finger of the left hand across the whole of the strings at certain lengths from the bridge to effect transposition. 1927 Melody Maker Aug. 756/3 Remember the most-used chord (the common chord) root position on the ‘G’ [banjo] is merely a barre, whilst it is a big stretch on the tenor [banjo]. 1934 S. R. Nelson All about Jazz ii. 55 Placing the index finger across the entire fingerboard in what is known as a ‘barré’ position. 1965 Melody Maker 10 July 12/4 Girls with small hands can play barre chords on a normal Spanish guitar. |
2. Dancing. (See bar n.1 13 d.)
▪ II. barre
obsolete form of bar.