Comments on: DA Retrospectively: 11th March, 2005

By: RobT

RobT — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 02:28:39 +0000

Nice one from days of yore. Took me about 30mins…

By: Peter

Peter — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 07:27:37 +0000

Yes RB, that was it – here got barrelled = got thrashed = got flattened = got decked. Must be a country thing.

By: RB

RB — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 13:29:55 +0000

What you say in your last para is true, of course, but it is surprising not to find that particular definition of “barrel” in the usual suspects that Google regularly throws up, such as thefreedictionary.com, wiktionary.org, wordnet.princeton.edu, answers.com, yourdictionary.com, etc etc.

I have lost count of the number of times recently that I have been unable to find a particular meaning of a word (as used by DA) in any of my hardcopy dictionaries, but I have been able to find it online. I can only assume that this particular usage of “barrel” is quite rare. I failed to find it in Aussie slang sites too.

By: MF

MF — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 07:37:34 +0000

RB, I think you are right about what Google indexes.
RB, almost all of Google search results for “I barrel[l]ed” or “he barel[l]ed” indeed DO show it being used intransitively. However, I can assure you that in at least some Australian circles that it is common for e.g. “Dave barrelled Phil” to be used synonymously for “Dave barrelled into Phil”.

… the Web/Google does not capture 100% of all knowledge about/by humans! Quelle surprise!! Next someone will claim that not everything in wikipedia is 100% kosher. :-)

By: RB

RB — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 01:05:41 +0000

I’m not trying to be difficult, honestly! But when I try what you suggest I get the sort of stuff I described earlier. My Google seems to work differently to yours.

However I did try your link and found, under Newcastle Knights, “…scraped into the finals and got barreled”. Is that the reference you intended to give me?

By: Peter

Peter — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 20:40:20 +0000

Try get / got barrelled rugby league. E.g. I found

http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3260117

By: RB

RB — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 12:55:41 +0000

Wow! I just googled “barrelled by a large woman” and got something I didn’t expect! I also googled “barrelled in rugby league” and found references to scraping the barrel; lock, stock and barrel; even Donald Barrell, a Saracens Rugby Union player! Please tell me precisely what to google.

By: Peter

Peter — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 12:28:26 +0000

My quick look at google found getting barrelled in football (rugby league), getting barrelled by a large wave, and getting barrelled by a large woman. It is certainly common usage out here (about 600km NW of Sydney). Google also showed American ‘get barreled’ (one l) meaning to be inside a tube / wave while surfing, but on the north coast of NSW ‘get barrelled’ means to be dumped by the wave.

By: RB

RB — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 10:52:24 +0000

So why can’t I find this definition online? Is that a reflection on my googling ability? Can you find this definition online?

By: MF

MF — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 09:12:02 +0000

RB, I’ve lived in all over Melbourne, inner & outer, and I reckon :-) that is Peter is not just reasonable, but spot on. “Barrel” is very commonly used as a transitive verb just as Peter describes.