bar•rage
Pronunciation: (bu-rzh' esp. Brit. bar'zh for 1, 2, 4, 5 br'ij for 3), [key] ? n., v., -raged, -rag•ing.
?n. - a heavy barrier of artillery fire to protect one's own advancing or retreating troops or to stop the advance of enemy troops.
- an overwhelming quantity or explosion, as of words, blows, or criticisms: a barrage of questions.
- an artificial obstruction in a watercourse to increase the depth of the water, facilitate irrigation, etc.
- an aversion response of sexually incompatible fungus cultures that are growing in proximity, revealed by a persistent growth gap between them.
?v.t. - to subject to a barrage.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.