Word for the day…those thingies in front of the supermarket


Have you ever seen those round thingies they put in front of the supermarket to keep cars from driving through the front doors? I was wondering if they had a special name and since my husband is in construction, I asked him. He said they are “bollards”.

NEW WORD!

1. A bollard is a short vertical post, originally it meant a post used on a ship or a quay, principally for mooring. The word now also describes a variety of structures.

2. Any of a series of short posts set at intervals to delimit an area (as a traffic island) or to exclude vehicles.

Etymology: Chiefly British, perhaps from bole, first known use: circa 1775

Source: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bollard

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One Response to Word for the day…those thingies in front of the supermarket

  1. ‘bollards’: an Americanism (Canadia-ism?) this time (I think). I don’t even know what the word means. (Oh now I do. ‘A bollard is a short vertical post typically found where large ships dock’. How many of these are to be found in most British cities (even after 6?)

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