Definition of barren in English:

barren

adjective ˈbar(ə)nˈbɛrən

1(of land) too poor to produce much or any vegetation.
（土地）贫瘠的，荒芜的
the plains of Kyrenia were barren
the barren, burnt-up countryside
Example sentencesExamples
- I hope I dissolve in it, consumed by the richness of all that could have been in this barren land marked by the distant and deep scars of many a past harsh summer…
- Now, of course their are material resources to be had in Gaul, and this provides a reason for conquest - for who wants to conquer a barren land?
- And in front of the mountains was a barren land covered in only sand and stone with the waves crashing against the shoreline.
- Today, they are still extracting revenge and blood from a barren land that has been sucked dry by a despotic ruling class and its natural allies in Washington and Paris.
- It was there that he saw how extensively elephant dung was used as agricultural fertilizer to nourish the otherwise barren land.
- Several farmers tried in vain to till the barren land.
- The rest of Iceland is agricultural, rural, or wild - 80% of its barren land is unpopulated.
- If one or two caribou were taken, the group would share the harvest together and then travel even farther into the barren lands.
- Ahead is a barren land of lochans and beautifully-ridged mountains rising steeply from an uninhabited wilderness.
- Will it be again blamed when there would be severe environmental disaster after watercourse of river Brahmaputra will be diverted to irrigate Indian barren land?
- An elephant, tired after searching for water, lies in writhing pain on a barren land.
- Most of the land is flat, barren tundra where only the top few inches of the frozen earth thaw out during the summer months.
- What is immediately striking is the lushness of these high pastures - such a contrast to the common perception of Ethiopia as a barren land.
- I walked along the barren lands as the sun parched my skin.
- The mere sound of the word ‘monsoon’ conjures up magical images of heavy rain rejuvenating and reviving a starved, parched and barren land.
- Then a village elder told the group that what Alwar really needed were people to pitch in with shovels and make ponds that could trap water in the barren land.
- Farmers cannot afford these higher costs and consequently many paddy fields have not been cultivated for lengthy periods and have become barren lands.
- Men had to be relocated in single sex hostels whilst women were left to eke out an existence for themselves and their children on barren lands.
- The leased land was mostly barren, there were only nine golf holes laid out, and the clubhouse was a converted farmhouse lit by kerosene lamps.
- For several moments, the group could only gape at the fierce, stark beauty of the arid desert landscape, the awesome power and majesty of the barren land.
Synonyms
unproductive, infertile, unfruitful, sterile, arid, desert, waste, desolate, uncultivatable
impoverished
1. 1.1 (of a tree or plant) not producing fruit or seed.
  （树，庄稼）不结果实的
  the barren fig tree
  Example sentencesExamples
  The barren trees were in tune with the sense of desolation all around.
  As a photographer, Ziegler is mostly concerned with capturing human emotion, a story a rusty silo or barren tree can't tell.
  A barren fig tree takes up valuable garden space and nutrients that fruitful trees can use.
  The barren trees looked on branches swaying in the breeze, unwilling to quite succumb to the cold but looking forward to their sleep.
  Alex looked up from the barren flower bed and noticed a woman standing by the forest waving her arms and calling out to him.
  She stretched as much as she was able and the sun embraced her completely, as much as it was able, diffused by the ugly architecture and the barren trees.
  Rats and toads were also natural enemies of bees, while barren flowers were a disaster.
  The ground is frozen, the trees barren and the wind raw, and our thoughts have turned to cycling.
  The sidewalks were shaded by huge, hovering oak trees that looked barren in the cool weather.
  The trees are barren and it is a time when the birds are likely to be most vocal, just before mating season.
  We begrudge the colder weather, the barren trees, the short days.
  To sharpen our vision, Jesus tells a parable about an orchard owner who was frustrated by a barren fig tree and ordered the gardener to cut the tree down.
  This image quickly gave way to a barren and desolate tree, with whistling wind in the soundscape.
  Yet Weil thought so poorly of her achievements she once identified herself with the barren fig tree Jesus cursed because it bore no fruit.
  Peeking through a few barren trees and sitting atop a well-manicured lawn sat Keaton's parent's house.
  No lusty bud nor curling tendril burst from the barren vine.
  Cherry and pear trees laden with fruit can become barren overnight when jackdaws decide to strike.
  Figgy pudding is sometimes eaten on Palm Sunday, possibly in memory of Christ's cursing of the barren fig tree on that day.
  Catriona Boyle and Joanna Kerr give advice on a plague of wild garlic and barren fruit trees.
2. 1.2 Showing no results or achievements; unproductive.
  〈喻〉无效果的；徒劳的
  he scored yesterday to end his barren spell
  Example sentencesExamples
  Since then though Rangers have endeared a barren spell and the pressure has been building on McLeish as O'Neill has transformed Celtic into one of the best teams in Europe.
  There then followed a long barren spell with Castlecomer frequently on the attack but their wayward shooting failed them at the final kick.
  Caley took advantage in terms of possession but their barren spell in front of goal before this one continued.
  In 35 majors he has won eight times - and he arrives at Troon hoping to end a relatively barren spell.
  Time often blurs memories but I can't recall many times when Rush endured a barren spell.
  Vassell has recently returned to form after a barren spell with Aston Villa, while Alan Smith, for this writer at least, has failed to hit the heights of the past in an admittedly abject Leeds side.
  Us ending a barren spell at the weekend and Farsley losing will have no bearing on this match.
  Since Lawrie Sanchez got off the mark in his very first game with, not a win, but a goal to end the barren spell, things have picked up.
  Many factors have been blamed for the barren spell, the most obvious being the regional politics that blight their domestic game.
  After something of a barren spell, Summerhill College's golfers are back on top of the provincial mountain.
  A fierce competitor whose feistiness has often boiled into rage, the captain, in the absence of Stefan Klos, says the fact this final comes on the back of a barren season means losing is not an option.
  The Premier County ended their very barren spell in the 21st minute when their full forward Des Lyons kicked over a good point.
  Bolton's recent run of form has come despite a barren spell from Ricketts that has seen him go goalless since January 16.
  Moore's next task is to end a three-month barren spell dating back to his last goal, against Stoke City in September's 2-2 Turf Moor draw.
  The 40-year-old's Singapore success ends a barren spell for the Ryder Cup star.
  Teams and drivers sometimes go through a barren spell and, when success fails to come your way, it can lead you to doubt.
  All six played a part, in helping the county end a barren nine-year spell without Liam McCarthy.
  The fact that Portsmouth and Wolves returned after similarly barren years no doubt gives them hope.
  It totally made my day and I guess my barren spell was well worth the wait in the end!
  The former Liverpool striker has had a torrid time in front of goal recently but he put his barren spell firmly behind him with what turned out to be the winner at St James' Park.
  Synonyms
  unproductive, unfruitful, unprofitable, unremunerative, arid
3. 1.3archaic (of a woman) infertile.
  〈古〉（妇女）不（生）育的，不妊的
  Example sentencesExamples
  One night a heavenly spirit appeared before the barren woman and told her that she would soon give birth to a son.
  In Act Two the barren Lady Kix, lamenting her childless and unfruitful state, is overhead by Touchwood Senior.
  Even if they loved each other very much, a man would be forced to divorce a barren wife due to the pressure from his own family.
  Many too have heard of his marriage to the barren Princess Louise von Stolberg, who bore him no children, blatantly committed adultery and finally separated from him.
  By contrast the prehistoric stones have been seen as male symbols of fertility with the power to impregnate barren women.
  Synonyms
  infertile, sterile, childless
  technical infecund
4. 1.4 (of a female animal) not pregnant or unable to become so.
  （雌性动物）不妊的；不育的
  Example sentencesExamples
  Pregnancy testing is done early and regularly to pull out barren cows.
  Disturbing ewes or sudden changes in diet can cause embryo losses, the result is lower litter sizes and barren ewes.
  It concentrates the mind when you are block calving because you sell all your barren cows in one go.
  Samren moved his eyes from the barren fox to his son, Caspar.
  Because the reindeer females in this study were barren, changes in body mass showed the changes in body condition well.
2(of a place or building) bleak and lifeless.
（地方，建筑）凄凉的，无生气的
the sports hall turned out to be a rather barren concrete building
the flat feels too tidy, almost barren
Example sentencesExamples
- The world had become a barren place thanks to the bombing, devoid of anything similar to vegetation or existence, save for a few spots of land that had escaped the war.
- Battles took place anywhere from a street in a city to a barren field.
- The morning sun appeared above the Afghan village, the rays of golden light reaching out across the bleak and barren landscape.
- I recognized the view of Abalone Mountain and Castle Rock from that barren site.
- When you're not talking, you'll undoubtedly be exploring the extremely barren environments within the game.
- The place was barren and bleak, and as far as she could see it was devoid of any inhabitants.
- They wanted to leave this barren place as soon as they could.
- The funeral had taken all morning and thousands of angry mourners still milled around the barren cemetery in Gaza.
- Deeper into the barren city the polished buildings turn to dirty, smudged, rock-like towers, looking as if they were carved roughly out of stone.
- What had promised to be a cozy stop for the night proved to be a wide, barren space with a few buildings forming a ring around the well and only a few unwelcoming people to populate it.
- When Allison Wright and Andy Kaplan purchased their Santa Monica home, the windows all along the side of their house faced a barren alley.
- He wanted it to bust out the front of his face, eat his whole body, rend him limb from limb and toss the severed remains of his body to the four winds of that bleak and barren place.
- Very poignant - especially with families and tiny children cycling up the barren street…
- He lives in a small fishing village on the coast of Iceland, a bleak, barren place with one or two buildings, a few fussy townsfolk, and a lot of snow and cold.
- Often times, the landscapes are bleak in the grayish washed out world of factories or barren landscapes of the indigenous lifeforms.
- Without their kind the musical world would be an extremely barren place.
- Obviously, he's hiding in the Spurs trophy room, a desperately barren place where no man ever goes.
- The white of the barren room was a stark contrast to the blackness of the hole, up through which drifted faint scuffling sounds.
- After a safe distance from the city I put the car on cruise control; the roads were barren and lifeless.
- To the early British colonisers, Hong Kong was a barren place.
Synonyms
bleak, stark, bare, drab, desolate, dreary, dismal, gloomy, sombre, forlorn, grim, stern, harsh, forbidding, uninviting, unwelcoming, cheerless
1. 2.1 Empty of meaning or value.
  无意义的，无价值的
  your life will be barren
  Example sentencesExamples
  It is enamored with pop, the perfect tool to convey the vain, dull, shallow and barren ideas of modernity.
  It opens up windows on our society, our selves, and our barren ideas.
  No doubt there is a spiritual egoism, built on barren ideas concerning oneself with no real practice behind them, that one can easily fall into.
  Your mission is to capture the essence of a scene, not the barren facts.
  Synonyms
  pointless, futile, worthless, profitless, valueless, unrewarding, purposeless, useless, vain, aimless
  uninteresting, boring, dull, drab, dry, arid, flat, lifeless, uninspiring, unstimulating, stale, prosaic, hollow, empty, vacuous, vapid
2. 2.2barren of Devoid of.
  the room was barren of furniture
  房间里缺少家具。
  Example sentencesExamples
  The Hill Country along South Mopac is remarkably barren of all-night food joints.
  The Democrats purposely chose a candidate with a 22-year history in elective office entirely barren of any distinction.
  Dark blood poured from the wounded and fallen unto the ruddy rust colored earth; barren of all vegetation and life.
  All the time, labour, and money, bestowed by the Corporation during this period may be said to have been almost barren of beneficial results.
  However, she was not barren of any color - her lips were colored a bright, glossy red.
  But everyone exploits its use, until that time certain when it becomes soiled and haggard, barren of its previous virtues.
  I like it too, it's very nice even though it's basically barren of all furniture.
  As it stands, this site is barren of all such annoyances.
  Revenge is a film barren of much development, as it feels like nothing more than a bunch of independent scenes cobbled together.
  Still, it was strange to see the school, empty and barren of all people.
  The sediments of the Grensen Formation are barren of all organic material and hence must be dated using radiometric and petrographic evidence alone.
  Our cuticles are already as barren of microbial life as the underside of an arctic glacier.
  Then the woods were gone entirely and only a few withered winter trees and boulders disrupted the now desert land - barren of all life and color.
  But both prefer the mirror to any sexual object, and both remain childless, barren of natural humanity.
  Although the trees were barren of any flowers, there was something about the winter magic floating in the air that made the night so special.
  Wednesday morning looked a bit barren of good fringe meeting debates, so I made my selections with difficulty.
  We arrived to find more than a hundred years of unrestricted cattle grazing had left the arid canyon nearly barren of ground vegetation.
  We rode through farm country where fields stretched as far as I could see, but barren of the crops Willie and I used to see when we came South during the summertime.
  Selina pulled into the stadium parking lot, its asphalt turf barren of all vehicles except hers.
  By contrast, the modern day village is bleak, cold and almost barren of young people who have moved to the cities in search of work and a better life.
  Synonyms
  lacking, without, free from, free of, empty of, vacant of, void of, bare of, barren of, bereft of, drained of, denuded of, deprived of, depleted of, destitute of, bankrupt of

noun ˈbar(ə)nˈbɛrən

1usually barrensNorth American A barren tract or tracts of land.
〈主北美〉（一块）瘠地
the Newfoundland barrens
纽芬兰荒地。
Example sentencesExamples
- Also, the hard winds across the barren spare the tight-pressed herds the worst of the mosquito hordes and biting flies.
- Serpentinite barrens are visible on both sides of the Staten Island Expressway where bedrock was exposed when new roads were cut during the mid-1960s.
- I find the ecological barrens of the Euro-countryside to be depressing.
- It has many similarities to the Blackbelt prairies and the barrens of Tennessee and Kentucky.
- Dry barrens offer an exceptional opportunity to examine fire effects on community structure, composition, and diversity patterns in savannalike natural communities.
- In Illinois, barrens occur throughout the state.
- After exploring gentle mountain slopes, taiga flatland and highland barrens, we suddenly reached the plateau's edge.
- The area, recognized as a dry-mesic barrens on the Illinois Natural Areas Inventory, was dedicated as an Illinois Nature Preserve in February of 2000.
- The other is a mosaic of sand barrens and woodland and in this case, poor soil has probably slowed succession.
- Quite unlike today's northern barrens, it combined Arctic tundra with fertile loess soil and low latitudes the Eurasian tundra belt having been pushed far to the south by the Scandinavian icecap.
- This species, typical of mesic to dry-mesic upland forests, has wind-dispersed seeds and evidently readily invades barrens.
- They encompass 2,400 square miles of wooded mountains, high-elevation bogs and pine barrens, replete with winding rivers and spectacular waterfalls.
- Data are needed on the effects of repeated applications of prescribed fires over several years to assess the effectiveness of prescribed fires as a restoration tool in barrens.
- Galloping through the tall trees in forest woodlands or winding our way slowly over miles of alien, stony-gray barrens, we came to know a place apart from our comfort zones.
- He thought of the bliss the two kids had, him and Unico, as they raced across the barrens plains, past the sign, and darting through the stone forest.
- The prairie barrens occur on limestone with shallow clayey soils that are well-drained.
- However, through the core of the barrens a headwind-driven flame reached a height of one to 1.5 meters and ascended some small shrubs, saplings, and standing-dead trees.
- I have to make some more somehow, I have to go even further out into the barrens to find things to talk about.
- Fire suppression, development and conversion of land to agricultural use have destroyed many of the pine barrens and oak savannas where the lupine grows.
- Rolling hills, jagged rock barrens, steaming swamps, and dusty grey ashlands all appear crisp and clean to the eye and have an amazing amount of variety.
2rare A group or drove of mules.
the Greeks were seen to drive a barren of mules

Derivatives

barrenly

adverb ˈbarənli

The northern view to our little island Isay is blocked by the 500-metre peak of Ben Dhubh, but to the north-west, Taransay looks barrenly formidable.
Example sentencesExamples
- ‘With Vietnam, it barrenly interfered in our internal affairs by deliberately agitating rebellions and illegal border crossings and stating it will accept those they brand as ‘refugees’,’ the daily said.
- The catalogue, indeed, makes out Penone's work to be sad, even sinister, rather than barrenly clever.
- They're better than context, at once barrenly isolated and cozily insulated.

barrenness

noun ˈbar(ə)nnəsˈbɛrənˌnəs

Townships were born, marked by their barrenness.
Example sentencesExamples
- That over-irrigation condemned Mesopotamia in West Asia, once the cradle of civilisation, to barrenness for the last three thousand years, does not deter them.
- Composting and re-cycling were a well-established part of their lives and they looked upon the soil as ‘something to be redeemed from rugged barrenness into smiling fertility and beauty’.
- God save us from such barrenness of imagination.
- Granted, deserts are teeming with life, but we typically associate notions of barrenness, emptiness, lifelessnessand other such ideas with ‘desert.’

Origin

Middle English: from Old French barhaine, of unknown origin.

Rhymes

Aran, Arran, baron, Darren, Karen, Sharon, yarran

Definition of barren in US English:

barren

adjectiveˈbɛrənˈberən

1(of land) too poor to produce much or any vegetation.
（土地）贫瘠的，荒芜的
Example sentencesExamples
- If one or two caribou were taken, the group would share the harvest together and then travel even farther into the barren lands.
- Several farmers tried in vain to till the barren land.
- I walked along the barren lands as the sun parched my skin.
- Today, they are still extracting revenge and blood from a barren land that has been sucked dry by a despotic ruling class and its natural allies in Washington and Paris.
- An elephant, tired after searching for water, lies in writhing pain on a barren land.
- For several moments, the group could only gape at the fierce, stark beauty of the arid desert landscape, the awesome power and majesty of the barren land.
- And in front of the mountains was a barren land covered in only sand and stone with the waves crashing against the shoreline.
- Most of the land is flat, barren tundra where only the top few inches of the frozen earth thaw out during the summer months.
- The mere sound of the word ‘monsoon’ conjures up magical images of heavy rain rejuvenating and reviving a starved, parched and barren land.
- The rest of Iceland is agricultural, rural, or wild - 80% of its barren land is unpopulated.
- It was there that he saw how extensively elephant dung was used as agricultural fertilizer to nourish the otherwise barren land.
- Farmers cannot afford these higher costs and consequently many paddy fields have not been cultivated for lengthy periods and have become barren lands.
- Ahead is a barren land of lochans and beautifully-ridged mountains rising steeply from an uninhabited wilderness.
- I hope I dissolve in it, consumed by the richness of all that could have been in this barren land marked by the distant and deep scars of many a past harsh summer…
- Will it be again blamed when there would be severe environmental disaster after watercourse of river Brahmaputra will be diverted to irrigate Indian barren land?
- Then a village elder told the group that what Alwar really needed were people to pitch in with shovels and make ponds that could trap water in the barren land.
- The leased land was mostly barren, there were only nine golf holes laid out, and the clubhouse was a converted farmhouse lit by kerosene lamps.
- Now, of course their are material resources to be had in Gaul, and this provides a reason for conquest - for who wants to conquer a barren land?
- Men had to be relocated in single sex hostels whilst women were left to eke out an existence for themselves and their children on barren lands.
- What is immediately striking is the lushness of these high pastures - such a contrast to the common perception of Ethiopia as a barren land.
Synonyms
unproductive, infertile, unfruitful, sterile, arid, desert, waste, desolate, uncultivatable
1. 1.1 (of a tree or plant) not producing fruit or seed.
  （树，庄稼）不结果实的
  Example sentencesExamples
  She stretched as much as she was able and the sun embraced her completely, as much as it was able, diffused by the ugly architecture and the barren trees.
  No lusty bud nor curling tendril burst from the barren vine.
  Figgy pudding is sometimes eaten on Palm Sunday, possibly in memory of Christ's cursing of the barren fig tree on that day.
  The barren trees looked on branches swaying in the breeze, unwilling to quite succumb to the cold but looking forward to their sleep.
  The barren trees were in tune with the sense of desolation all around.
  Yet Weil thought so poorly of her achievements she once identified herself with the barren fig tree Jesus cursed because it bore no fruit.
  We begrudge the colder weather, the barren trees, the short days.
  The trees are barren and it is a time when the birds are likely to be most vocal, just before mating season.
  The ground is frozen, the trees barren and the wind raw, and our thoughts have turned to cycling.
  As a photographer, Ziegler is mostly concerned with capturing human emotion, a story a rusty silo or barren tree can't tell.
  This image quickly gave way to a barren and desolate tree, with whistling wind in the soundscape.
  Catriona Boyle and Joanna Kerr give advice on a plague of wild garlic and barren fruit trees.
  The sidewalks were shaded by huge, hovering oak trees that looked barren in the cool weather.
  Cherry and pear trees laden with fruit can become barren overnight when jackdaws decide to strike.
  A barren fig tree takes up valuable garden space and nutrients that fruitful trees can use.
  To sharpen our vision, Jesus tells a parable about an orchard owner who was frustrated by a barren fig tree and ordered the gardener to cut the tree down.
  Rats and toads were also natural enemies of bees, while barren flowers were a disaster.
  Alex looked up from the barren flower bed and noticed a woman standing by the forest waving her arms and calling out to him.
  Peeking through a few barren trees and sitting atop a well-manicured lawn sat Keaton's parent's house.
2. 1.2 Showing no results or achievements; unproductive.
  〈喻〉无效果的；徒劳的
  much of philosophy has been barren
  Example sentencesExamples
  The fact that Portsmouth and Wolves returned after similarly barren years no doubt gives them hope.
  Us ending a barren spell at the weekend and Farsley losing will have no bearing on this match.
  Vassell has recently returned to form after a barren spell with Aston Villa, while Alan Smith, for this writer at least, has failed to hit the heights of the past in an admittedly abject Leeds side.
  The Premier County ended their very barren spell in the 21st minute when their full forward Des Lyons kicked over a good point.
  The former Liverpool striker has had a torrid time in front of goal recently but he put his barren spell firmly behind him with what turned out to be the winner at St James' Park.
  After something of a barren spell, Summerhill College's golfers are back on top of the provincial mountain.
  Since Lawrie Sanchez got off the mark in his very first game with, not a win, but a goal to end the barren spell, things have picked up.
  It totally made my day and I guess my barren spell was well worth the wait in the end!
  There then followed a long barren spell with Castlecomer frequently on the attack but their wayward shooting failed them at the final kick.
  Caley took advantage in terms of possession but their barren spell in front of goal before this one continued.
  In 35 majors he has won eight times - and he arrives at Troon hoping to end a relatively barren spell.
  The 40-year-old's Singapore success ends a barren spell for the Ryder Cup star.
  Many factors have been blamed for the barren spell, the most obvious being the regional politics that blight their domestic game.
  Time often blurs memories but I can't recall many times when Rush endured a barren spell.
  Moore's next task is to end a three-month barren spell dating back to his last goal, against Stoke City in September's 2-2 Turf Moor draw.
  All six played a part, in helping the county end a barren nine-year spell without Liam McCarthy.
  Since then though Rangers have endeared a barren spell and the pressure has been building on McLeish as O'Neill has transformed Celtic into one of the best teams in Europe.
  Teams and drivers sometimes go through a barren spell and, when success fails to come your way, it can lead you to doubt.
  Bolton's recent run of form has come despite a barren spell from Ricketts that has seen him go goalless since January 16.
  A fierce competitor whose feistiness has often boiled into rage, the captain, in the absence of Stefan Klos, says the fact this final comes on the back of a barren season means losing is not an option.
  Synonyms
  unproductive, unfruitful, unprofitable, unremunerative, arid
3. 1.3archaic (of a woman) unable to have children.
  Example sentencesExamples
  One night a heavenly spirit appeared before the barren woman and told her that she would soon give birth to a son.
  Many too have heard of his marriage to the barren Princess Louise von Stolberg, who bore him no children, blatantly committed adultery and finally separated from him.
  Even if they loved each other very much, a man would be forced to divorce a barren wife due to the pressure from his own family.
  In Act Two the barren Lady Kix, lamenting her childless and unfruitful state, is overhead by Touchwood Senior.
  By contrast the prehistoric stones have been seen as male symbols of fertility with the power to impregnate barren women.
  Synonyms
  infertile, sterile, childless
4. 1.4 (of a female animal) not pregnant or unable to become so.
  （雌性动物）不妊的；不育的
  Example sentencesExamples
  Disturbing ewes or sudden changes in diet can cause embryo losses, the result is lower litter sizes and barren ewes.
  Samren moved his eyes from the barren fox to his son, Caspar.
  Because the reindeer females in this study were barren, changes in body mass showed the changes in body condition well.
  It concentrates the mind when you are block calving because you sell all your barren cows in one go.
  Pregnancy testing is done early and regularly to pull out barren cows.
2(of a place or building) bleak and lifeless.
（地方，建筑）凄凉的，无生气的
the sports hall turned out to be a rather barren concrete building
Example sentencesExamples
- When you're not talking, you'll undoubtedly be exploring the extremely barren environments within the game.
- They wanted to leave this barren place as soon as they could.
- Deeper into the barren city the polished buildings turn to dirty, smudged, rock-like towers, looking as if they were carved roughly out of stone.
- He lives in a small fishing village on the coast of Iceland, a bleak, barren place with one or two buildings, a few fussy townsfolk, and a lot of snow and cold.
- Obviously, he's hiding in the Spurs trophy room, a desperately barren place where no man ever goes.
- Without their kind the musical world would be an extremely barren place.
- The white of the barren room was a stark contrast to the blackness of the hole, up through which drifted faint scuffling sounds.
- Often times, the landscapes are bleak in the grayish washed out world of factories or barren landscapes of the indigenous lifeforms.
- Battles took place anywhere from a street in a city to a barren field.
- The funeral had taken all morning and thousands of angry mourners still milled around the barren cemetery in Gaza.
- He wanted it to bust out the front of his face, eat his whole body, rend him limb from limb and toss the severed remains of his body to the four winds of that bleak and barren place.
- When Allison Wright and Andy Kaplan purchased their Santa Monica home, the windows all along the side of their house faced a barren alley.
- After a safe distance from the city I put the car on cruise control; the roads were barren and lifeless.
- To the early British colonisers, Hong Kong was a barren place.
- I recognized the view of Abalone Mountain and Castle Rock from that barren site.
- The morning sun appeared above the Afghan village, the rays of golden light reaching out across the bleak and barren landscape.
- The place was barren and bleak, and as far as she could see it was devoid of any inhabitants.
- Very poignant - especially with families and tiny children cycling up the barren street…
- What had promised to be a cozy stop for the night proved to be a wide, barren space with a few buildings forming a ring around the well and only a few unwelcoming people to populate it.
- The world had become a barren place thanks to the bombing, devoid of anything similar to vegetation or existence, save for a few spots of land that had escaped the war.
Synonyms
bleak, stark, bare, drab, desolate, dreary, dismal, gloomy, sombre, forlorn, grim, stern, harsh, forbidding, uninviting, unwelcoming, cheerless
1. 2.1 Empty of meaning or value.
  无意义的，无价值的
  those young heads were stuffed with barren facts
  Example sentencesExamples
  It is enamored with pop, the perfect tool to convey the vain, dull, shallow and barren ideas of modernity.
  No doubt there is a spiritual egoism, built on barren ideas concerning oneself with no real practice behind them, that one can easily fall into.
  It opens up windows on our society, our selves, and our barren ideas.
  Your mission is to capture the essence of a scene, not the barren facts.
  Synonyms
  pointless, futile, worthless, profitless, valueless, unrewarding, purposeless, useless, vain, aimless
2. 2.2barren of Devoid of.
  the room was barren of furniture
  房间里缺少家具。
  Example sentencesExamples
  We rode through farm country where fields stretched as far as I could see, but barren of the crops Willie and I used to see when we came South during the summertime.
  But everyone exploits its use, until that time certain when it becomes soiled and haggard, barren of its previous virtues.
  As it stands, this site is barren of all such annoyances.
  By contrast, the modern day village is bleak, cold and almost barren of young people who have moved to the cities in search of work and a better life.
  Dark blood poured from the wounded and fallen unto the ruddy rust colored earth; barren of all vegetation and life.
  But both prefer the mirror to any sexual object, and both remain childless, barren of natural humanity.
  Wednesday morning looked a bit barren of good fringe meeting debates, so I made my selections with difficulty.
  All the time, labour, and money, bestowed by the Corporation during this period may be said to have been almost barren of beneficial results.
  Although the trees were barren of any flowers, there was something about the winter magic floating in the air that made the night so special.
  Our cuticles are already as barren of microbial life as the underside of an arctic glacier.
  Then the woods were gone entirely and only a few withered winter trees and boulders disrupted the now desert land - barren of all life and color.
  The sediments of the Grensen Formation are barren of all organic material and hence must be dated using radiometric and petrographic evidence alone.
  Selina pulled into the stadium parking lot, its asphalt turf barren of all vehicles except hers.
  Revenge is a film barren of much development, as it feels like nothing more than a bunch of independent scenes cobbled together.
  However, she was not barren of any color - her lips were colored a bright, glossy red.
  I like it too, it's very nice even though it's basically barren of all furniture.
  The Hill Country along South Mopac is remarkably barren of all-night food joints.
  We arrived to find more than a hundred years of unrestricted cattle grazing had left the arid canyon nearly barren of ground vegetation.
  The Democrats purposely chose a candidate with a 22-year history in elective office entirely barren of any distinction.
  Still, it was strange to see the school, empty and barren of all people.
  Synonyms
  lacking, without, free from, free of, empty of, vacant of, void of, bare of, barren of, bereft of, drained of, denuded of, deprived of, depleted of, destitute of, bankrupt of

nounˈbɛrənˈberən

usually barrensNorth American

A barren tract or tracts of land.
〈主北美〉（一块）瘠地
crossing the barrens was no easy feat
Example sentencesExamples
- Fire suppression, development and conversion of land to agricultural use have destroyed many of the pine barrens and oak savannas where the lupine grows.
- Data are needed on the effects of repeated applications of prescribed fires over several years to assess the effectiveness of prescribed fires as a restoration tool in barrens.
- However, through the core of the barrens a headwind-driven flame reached a height of one to 1.5 meters and ascended some small shrubs, saplings, and standing-dead trees.
- They encompass 2,400 square miles of wooded mountains, high-elevation bogs and pine barrens, replete with winding rivers and spectacular waterfalls.
- It has many similarities to the Blackbelt prairies and the barrens of Tennessee and Kentucky.
- The area, recognized as a dry-mesic barrens on the Illinois Natural Areas Inventory, was dedicated as an Illinois Nature Preserve in February of 2000.
- In Illinois, barrens occur throughout the state.
- I have to make some more somehow, I have to go even further out into the barrens to find things to talk about.
- This species, typical of mesic to dry-mesic upland forests, has wind-dispersed seeds and evidently readily invades barrens.
- I find the ecological barrens of the Euro-countryside to be depressing.
- Rolling hills, jagged rock barrens, steaming swamps, and dusty grey ashlands all appear crisp and clean to the eye and have an amazing amount of variety.
- He thought of the bliss the two kids had, him and Unico, as they raced across the barrens plains, past the sign, and darting through the stone forest.
- The prairie barrens occur on limestone with shallow clayey soils that are well-drained.
- After exploring gentle mountain slopes, taiga flatland and highland barrens, we suddenly reached the plateau's edge.
- Dry barrens offer an exceptional opportunity to examine fire effects on community structure, composition, and diversity patterns in savannalike natural communities.
- Also, the hard winds across the barren spare the tight-pressed herds the worst of the mosquito hordes and biting flies.
- Galloping through the tall trees in forest woodlands or winding our way slowly over miles of alien, stony-gray barrens, we came to know a place apart from our comfort zones.
- Serpentinite barrens are visible on both sides of the Staten Island Expressway where bedrock was exposed when new roads were cut during the mid-1960s.
- Quite unlike today's northern barrens, it combined Arctic tundra with fertile loess soil and low latitudes the Eurasian tundra belt having been pushed far to the south by the Scandinavian icecap.
- The other is a mosaic of sand barrens and woodland and in this case, poor soil has probably slowed succession.

Origin

Middle English: from Old French barhaine, of unknown origin.

单词	barren
释义	Definition of barren in English: barren adjective ˈbar(ə)nˈbɛrən 1(of land) too poor to produce much or any vegetation. （土地）贫瘠的，荒芜的 the plains of Kyrenia were barren the barren, burnt-up countryside Example sentencesExamples I hope I dissolve in it, consumed by the richness of all that could have been in this barren land marked by the distant and deep scars of many a past harsh summer… Now, of course their are material resources to be had in Gaul, and this provides a reason for conquest - for who wants to conquer a barren land? And in front of the mountains was a barren land covered in only sand and stone with the waves crashing against the shoreline. Today, they are still extracting revenge and blood from a barren land that has been sucked dry by a despotic ruling class and its natural allies in Washington and Paris. It was there that he saw how extensively elephant dung was used as agricultural fertilizer to nourish the otherwise barren land. Several farmers tried in vain to till the barren land. The rest of Iceland is agricultural, rural, or wild - 80% of its barren land is unpopulated. If one or two caribou were taken, the group would share the harvest together and then travel even farther into the barren lands. Ahead is a barren land of lochans and beautifully-ridged mountains rising steeply from an uninhabited wilderness. Will it be again blamed when there would be severe environmental disaster after watercourse of river Brahmaputra will be diverted to irrigate Indian barren land? An elephant, tired after searching for water, lies in writhing pain on a barren land. Most of the land is flat, barren tundra where only the top few inches of the frozen earth thaw out during the summer months. What is immediately striking is the lushness of these high pastures - such a contrast to the common perception of Ethiopia as a barren land. I walked along the barren lands as the sun parched my skin. The mere sound of the word ‘monsoon’ conjures up magical images of heavy rain rejuvenating and reviving a starved, parched and barren land. Then a village elder told the group that what Alwar really needed were people to pitch in with shovels and make ponds that could trap water in the barren land. Farmers cannot afford these higher costs and consequently many paddy fields have not been cultivated for lengthy periods and have become barren lands. Men had to be relocated in single sex hostels whilst women were left to eke out an existence for themselves and their children on barren lands. The leased land was mostly barren, there were only nine golf holes laid out, and the clubhouse was a converted farmhouse lit by kerosene lamps. For several moments, the group could only gape at the fierce, stark beauty of the arid desert landscape, the awesome power and majesty of the barren land. Synonyms unproductive, infertile, unfruitful, sterile, arid, desert, waste, desolate, uncultivatable impoverished 1.1 (of a tree or plant) not producing fruit or seed. （树，庄稼）不结果实的 the barren fig tree Example sentencesExamples The barren trees were in tune with the sense of desolation all around. As a photographer, Ziegler is mostly concerned with capturing human emotion, a story a rusty silo or barren tree can't tell. A barren fig tree takes up valuable garden space and nutrients that fruitful trees can use. The barren trees looked on branches swaying in the breeze, unwilling to quite succumb to the cold but looking forward to their sleep. Alex looked up from the barren flower bed and noticed a woman standing by the forest waving her arms and calling out to him. She stretched as much as she was able and the sun embraced her completely, as much as it was able, diffused by the ugly architecture and the barren trees. Rats and toads were also natural enemies of bees, while barren flowers were a disaster. The ground is frozen, the trees barren and the wind raw, and our thoughts have turned to cycling. The sidewalks were shaded by huge, hovering oak trees that looked barren in the cool weather. The trees are barren and it is a time when the birds are likely to be most vocal, just before mating season. We begrudge the colder weather, the barren trees, the short days. To sharpen our vision, Jesus tells a parable about an orchard owner who was frustrated by a barren fig tree and ordered the gardener to cut the tree down. This image quickly gave way to a barren and desolate tree, with whistling wind in the soundscape. Yet Weil thought so poorly of her achievements she once identified herself with the barren fig tree Jesus cursed because it bore no fruit. Peeking through a few barren trees and sitting atop a well-manicured lawn sat Keaton's parent's house. No lusty bud nor curling tendril burst from the barren vine. Cherry and pear trees laden with fruit can become barren overnight when jackdaws decide to strike. Figgy pudding is sometimes eaten on Palm Sunday, possibly in memory of Christ's cursing of the barren fig tree on that day. Catriona Boyle and Joanna Kerr give advice on a plague of wild garlic and barren fruit trees. 1.2 Showing no results or achievements; unproductive. 〈喻〉无效果的；徒劳的 he scored yesterday to end his barren spell Example sentencesExamples Since then though Rangers have endeared a barren spell and the pressure has been building on McLeish as O'Neill has transformed Celtic into one of the best teams in Europe. There then followed a long barren spell with Castlecomer frequently on the attack but their wayward shooting failed them at the final kick. Caley took advantage in terms of possession but their barren spell in front of goal before this one continued. In 35 majors he has won eight times - and he arrives at Troon hoping to end a relatively barren spell. Time often blurs memories but I can't recall many times when Rush endured a barren spell. Vassell has recently returned to form after a barren spell with Aston Villa, while Alan Smith, for this writer at least, has failed to hit the heights of the past in an admittedly abject Leeds side. Us ending a barren spell at the weekend and Farsley losing will have no bearing on this match. Since Lawrie Sanchez got off the mark in his very first game with, not a win, but a goal to end the barren spell, things have picked up. Many factors have been blamed for the barren spell, the most obvious being the regional politics that blight their domestic game. After something of a barren spell, Summerhill College's golfers are back on top of the provincial mountain. A fierce competitor whose feistiness has often boiled into rage, the captain, in the absence of Stefan Klos, says the fact this final comes on the back of a barren season means losing is not an option. The Premier County ended their very barren spell in the 21st minute when their full forward Des Lyons kicked over a good point. Bolton's recent run of form has come despite a barren spell from Ricketts that has seen him go goalless since January 16. Moore's next task is to end a three-month barren spell dating back to his last goal, against Stoke City in September's 2-2 Turf Moor draw. The 40-year-old's Singapore success ends a barren spell for the Ryder Cup star. Teams and drivers sometimes go through a barren spell and, when success fails to come your way, it can lead you to doubt. All six played a part, in helping the county end a barren nine-year spell without Liam McCarthy. The fact that Portsmouth and Wolves returned after similarly barren years no doubt gives them hope. It totally made my day and I guess my barren spell was well worth the wait in the end! The former Liverpool striker has had a torrid time in front of goal recently but he put his barren spell firmly behind him with what turned out to be the winner at St James' Park. Synonyms unproductive, unfruitful, unprofitable, unremunerative, arid 1.3archaic (of a woman) infertile. 〈古〉（妇女）不（生）育的，不妊的 Example sentencesExamples One night a heavenly spirit appeared before the barren woman and told her that she would soon give birth to a son. In Act Two the barren Lady Kix, lamenting her childless and unfruitful state, is overhead by Touchwood Senior. Even if they loved each other very much, a man would be forced to divorce a barren wife due to the pressure from his own family. Many too have heard of his marriage to the barren Princess Louise von Stolberg, who bore him no children, blatantly committed adultery and finally separated from him. By contrast the prehistoric stones have been seen as male symbols of fertility with the power to impregnate barren women. Synonyms infertile, sterile, childless technical infecund 1.4 (of a female animal) not pregnant or unable to become so. （雌性动物）不妊的；不育的 Example sentencesExamples Pregnancy testing is done early and regularly to pull out barren cows. Disturbing ewes or sudden changes in diet can cause embryo losses, the result is lower litter sizes and barren ewes. It concentrates the mind when you are block calving because you sell all your barren cows in one go. Samren moved his eyes from the barren fox to his son, Caspar. Because the reindeer females in this study were barren, changes in body mass showed the changes in body condition well. 2(of a place or building) bleak and lifeless. （地方，建筑）凄凉的，无生气的 the sports hall turned out to be a rather barren concrete building the flat feels too tidy, almost barren Example sentencesExamples The world had become a barren place thanks to the bombing, devoid of anything similar to vegetation or existence, save for a few spots of land that had escaped the war. Battles took place anywhere from a street in a city to a barren field. The morning sun appeared above the Afghan village, the rays of golden light reaching out across the bleak and barren landscape. I recognized the view of Abalone Mountain and Castle Rock from that barren site. When you're not talking, you'll undoubtedly be exploring the extremely barren environments within the game. The place was barren and bleak, and as far as she could see it was devoid of any inhabitants. They wanted to leave this barren place as soon as they could. The funeral had taken all morning and thousands of angry mourners still milled around the barren cemetery in Gaza. Deeper into the barren city the polished buildings turn to dirty, smudged, rock-like towers, looking as if they were carved roughly out of stone. What had promised to be a cozy stop for the night proved to be a wide, barren space with a few buildings forming a ring around the well and only a few unwelcoming people to populate it. When Allison Wright and Andy Kaplan purchased their Santa Monica home, the windows all along the side of their house faced a barren alley. He wanted it to bust out the front of his face, eat his whole body, rend him limb from limb and toss the severed remains of his body to the four winds of that bleak and barren place. Very poignant - especially with families and tiny children cycling up the barren street… He lives in a small fishing village on the coast of Iceland, a bleak, barren place with one or two buildings, a few fussy townsfolk, and a lot of snow and cold. Often times, the landscapes are bleak in the grayish washed out world of factories or barren landscapes of the indigenous lifeforms. Without their kind the musical world would be an extremely barren place. Obviously, he's hiding in the Spurs trophy room, a desperately barren place where no man ever goes. The white of the barren room was a stark contrast to the blackness of the hole, up through which drifted faint scuffling sounds. After a safe distance from the city I put the car on cruise control; the roads were barren and lifeless. To the early British colonisers, Hong Kong was a barren place. Synonyms bleak, stark, bare, drab, desolate, dreary, dismal, gloomy, sombre, forlorn, grim, stern, harsh, forbidding, uninviting, unwelcoming, cheerless 2.1 Empty of meaning or value. 无意义的，无价值的 your life will be barren Example sentencesExamples It is enamored with pop, the perfect tool to convey the vain, dull, shallow and barren ideas of modernity. It opens up windows on our society, our selves, and our barren ideas. No doubt there is a spiritual egoism, built on barren ideas concerning oneself with no real practice behind them, that one can easily fall into. Your mission is to capture the essence of a scene, not the barren facts. Synonyms pointless, futile, worthless, profitless, valueless, unrewarding, purposeless, useless, vain, aimless uninteresting, boring, dull, drab, dry, arid, flat, lifeless, uninspiring, unstimulating, stale, prosaic, hollow, empty, vacuous, vapid 2.2barren of Devoid of. the room was barren of furniture 房间里缺少家具。 Example sentencesExamples The Hill Country along South Mopac is remarkably barren of all-night food joints. The Democrats purposely chose a candidate with a 22-year history in elective office entirely barren of any distinction. Dark blood poured from the wounded and fallen unto the ruddy rust colored earth; barren of all vegetation and life. All the time, labour, and money, bestowed by the Corporation during this period may be said to have been almost barren of beneficial results. However, she was not barren of any color - her lips were colored a bright, glossy red. But everyone exploits its use, until that time certain when it becomes soiled and haggard, barren of its previous virtues. I like it too, it's very nice even though it's basically barren of all furniture. As it stands, this site is barren of all such annoyances. Revenge is a film barren of much development, as it feels like nothing more than a bunch of independent scenes cobbled together. Still, it was strange to see the school, empty and barren of all people. The sediments of the Grensen Formation are barren of all organic material and hence must be dated using radiometric and petrographic evidence alone. Our cuticles are already as barren of microbial life as the underside of an arctic glacier. Then the woods were gone entirely and only a few withered winter trees and boulders disrupted the now desert land - barren of all life and color. But both prefer the mirror to any sexual object, and both remain childless, barren of natural humanity. Although the trees were barren of any flowers, there was something about the winter magic floating in the air that made the night so special. Wednesday morning looked a bit barren of good fringe meeting debates, so I made my selections with difficulty. We arrived to find more than a hundred years of unrestricted cattle grazing had left the arid canyon nearly barren of ground vegetation. We rode through farm country where fields stretched as far as I could see, but barren of the crops Willie and I used to see when we came South during the summertime. Selina pulled into the stadium parking lot, its asphalt turf barren of all vehicles except hers. By contrast, the modern day village is bleak, cold and almost barren of young people who have moved to the cities in search of work and a better life. Synonyms lacking, without, free from, free of, empty of, vacant of, void of, bare of, barren of, bereft of, drained of, denuded of, deprived of, depleted of, destitute of, bankrupt of noun ˈbar(ə)nˈbɛrən 1usually barrensNorth American A barren tract or tracts of land. 〈主北美〉（一块）瘠地 the Newfoundland barrens 纽芬兰荒地。 Example sentencesExamples Also, the hard winds across the barren spare the tight-pressed herds the worst of the mosquito hordes and biting flies. Serpentinite barrens are visible on both sides of the Staten Island Expressway where bedrock was exposed when new roads were cut during the mid-1960s. I find the ecological barrens of the Euro-countryside to be depressing. It has many similarities to the Blackbelt prairies and the barrens of Tennessee and Kentucky. Dry barrens offer an exceptional opportunity to examine fire effects on community structure, composition, and diversity patterns in savannalike natural communities. In Illinois, barrens occur throughout the state. After exploring gentle mountain slopes, taiga flatland and highland barrens, we suddenly reached the plateau's edge. The area, recognized as a dry-mesic barrens on the Illinois Natural Areas Inventory, was dedicated as an Illinois Nature Preserve in February of 2000. The other is a mosaic of sand barrens and woodland and in this case, poor soil has probably slowed succession. Quite unlike today's northern barrens, it combined Arctic tundra with fertile loess soil and low latitudes the Eurasian tundra belt having been pushed far to the south by the Scandinavian icecap. This species, typical of mesic to dry-mesic upland forests, has wind-dispersed seeds and evidently readily invades barrens. They encompass 2,400 square miles of wooded mountains, high-elevation bogs and pine barrens, replete with winding rivers and spectacular waterfalls. Data are needed on the effects of repeated applications of prescribed fires over several years to assess the effectiveness of prescribed fires as a restoration tool in barrens. Galloping through the tall trees in forest woodlands or winding our way slowly over miles of alien, stony-gray barrens, we came to know a place apart from our comfort zones. He thought of the bliss the two kids had, him and Unico, as they raced across the barrens plains, past the sign, and darting through the stone forest. The prairie barrens occur on limestone with shallow clayey soils that are well-drained. However, through the core of the barrens a headwind-driven flame reached a height of one to 1.5 meters and ascended some small shrubs, saplings, and standing-dead trees. I have to make some more somehow, I have to go even further out into the barrens to find things to talk about. Fire suppression, development and conversion of land to agricultural use have destroyed many of the pine barrens and oak savannas where the lupine grows. Rolling hills, jagged rock barrens, steaming swamps, and dusty grey ashlands all appear crisp and clean to the eye and have an amazing amount of variety. 2rare A group or drove of mules. the Greeks were seen to drive a barren of mules Derivatives barrenly adverb ˈbarənli The northern view to our little island Isay is blocked by the 500-metre peak of Ben Dhubh, but to the north-west, Taransay looks barrenly formidable. Example sentencesExamples ‘With Vietnam, it barrenly interfered in our internal affairs by deliberately agitating rebellions and illegal border crossings and stating it will accept those they brand as ‘refugees’,’ the daily said. The catalogue, indeed, makes out Penone's work to be sad, even sinister, rather than barrenly clever. They're better than context, at once barrenly isolated and cozily insulated. barrenness noun ˈbar(ə)nnəsˈbɛrənˌnəs Townships were born, marked by their barrenness. Example sentencesExamples That over-irrigation condemned Mesopotamia in West Asia, once the cradle of civilisation, to barrenness for the last three thousand years, does not deter them. Composting and re-cycling were a well-established part of their lives and they looked upon the soil as ‘something to be redeemed from rugged barrenness into smiling fertility and beauty’. God save us from such barrenness of imagination. Granted, deserts are teeming with life, but we typically associate notions of barrenness, emptiness, lifelessnessand other such ideas with ‘desert.’ Origin Middle English: from Old French barhaine, of unknown origin. Rhymes Aran, Arran, baron, Darren, Karen, Sharon, yarran Definition of barren in US English: barren adjectiveˈbɛrənˈberən 1(of land) too poor to produce much or any vegetation. （土地）贫瘠的，荒芜的 Example sentencesExamples If one or two caribou were taken, the group would share the harvest together and then travel even farther into the barren lands. Several farmers tried in vain to till the barren land. I walked along the barren lands as the sun parched my skin. Today, they are still extracting revenge and blood from a barren land that has been sucked dry by a despotic ruling class and its natural allies in Washington and Paris. An elephant, tired after searching for water, lies in writhing pain on a barren land. For several moments, the group could only gape at the fierce, stark beauty of the arid desert landscape, the awesome power and majesty of the barren land. And in front of the mountains was a barren land covered in only sand and stone with the waves crashing against the shoreline. Most of the land is flat, barren tundra where only the top few inches of the frozen earth thaw out during the summer months. The mere sound of the word ‘monsoon’ conjures up magical images of heavy rain rejuvenating and reviving a starved, parched and barren land. The rest of Iceland is agricultural, rural, or wild - 80% of its barren land is unpopulated. It was there that he saw how extensively elephant dung was used as agricultural fertilizer to nourish the otherwise barren land. Farmers cannot afford these higher costs and consequently many paddy fields have not been cultivated for lengthy periods and have become barren lands. Ahead is a barren land of lochans and beautifully-ridged mountains rising steeply from an uninhabited wilderness. I hope I dissolve in it, consumed by the richness of all that could have been in this barren land marked by the distant and deep scars of many a past harsh summer… Will it be again blamed when there would be severe environmental disaster after watercourse of river Brahmaputra will be diverted to irrigate Indian barren land? Then a village elder told the group that what Alwar really needed were people to pitch in with shovels and make ponds that could trap water in the barren land. The leased land was mostly barren, there were only nine golf holes laid out, and the clubhouse was a converted farmhouse lit by kerosene lamps. Now, of course their are material resources to be had in Gaul, and this provides a reason for conquest - for who wants to conquer a barren land? Men had to be relocated in single sex hostels whilst women were left to eke out an existence for themselves and their children on barren lands. What is immediately striking is the lushness of these high pastures - such a contrast to the common perception of Ethiopia as a barren land. Synonyms unproductive, infertile, unfruitful, sterile, arid, desert, waste, desolate, uncultivatable 1.1 (of a tree or plant) not producing fruit or seed. （树，庄稼）不结果实的 Example sentencesExamples She stretched as much as she was able and the sun embraced her completely, as much as it was able, diffused by the ugly architecture and the barren trees. No lusty bud nor curling tendril burst from the barren vine. Figgy pudding is sometimes eaten on Palm Sunday, possibly in memory of Christ's cursing of the barren fig tree on that day. The barren trees looked on branches swaying in the breeze, unwilling to quite succumb to the cold but looking forward to their sleep. The barren trees were in tune with the sense of desolation all around. Yet Weil thought so poorly of her achievements she once identified herself with the barren fig tree Jesus cursed because it bore no fruit. We begrudge the colder weather, the barren trees, the short days. The trees are barren and it is a time when the birds are likely to be most vocal, just before mating season. The ground is frozen, the trees barren and the wind raw, and our thoughts have turned to cycling. As a photographer, Ziegler is mostly concerned with capturing human emotion, a story a rusty silo or barren tree can't tell. This image quickly gave way to a barren and desolate tree, with whistling wind in the soundscape. Catriona Boyle and Joanna Kerr give advice on a plague of wild garlic and barren fruit trees. The sidewalks were shaded by huge, hovering oak trees that looked barren in the cool weather. Cherry and pear trees laden with fruit can become barren overnight when jackdaws decide to strike. A barren fig tree takes up valuable garden space and nutrients that fruitful trees can use. To sharpen our vision, Jesus tells a parable about an orchard owner who was frustrated by a barren fig tree and ordered the gardener to cut the tree down. Rats and toads were also natural enemies of bees, while barren flowers were a disaster. Alex looked up from the barren flower bed and noticed a woman standing by the forest waving her arms and calling out to him. Peeking through a few barren trees and sitting atop a well-manicured lawn sat Keaton's parent's house. 1.2 Showing no results or achievements; unproductive. 〈喻〉无效果的；徒劳的 much of philosophy has been barren Example sentencesExamples The fact that Portsmouth and Wolves returned after similarly barren years no doubt gives them hope. Us ending a barren spell at the weekend and Farsley losing will have no bearing on this match. Vassell has recently returned to form after a barren spell with Aston Villa, while Alan Smith, for this writer at least, has failed to hit the heights of the past in an admittedly abject Leeds side. The Premier County ended their very barren spell in the 21st minute when their full forward Des Lyons kicked over a good point. The former Liverpool striker has had a torrid time in front of goal recently but he put his barren spell firmly behind him with what turned out to be the winner at St James' Park. After something of a barren spell, Summerhill College's golfers are back on top of the provincial mountain. Since Lawrie Sanchez got off the mark in his very first game with, not a win, but a goal to end the barren spell, things have picked up. It totally made my day and I guess my barren spell was well worth the wait in the end! There then followed a long barren spell with Castlecomer frequently on the attack but their wayward shooting failed them at the final kick. Caley took advantage in terms of possession but their barren spell in front of goal before this one continued. In 35 majors he has won eight times - and he arrives at Troon hoping to end a relatively barren spell. The 40-year-old's Singapore success ends a barren spell for the Ryder Cup star. Many factors have been blamed for the barren spell, the most obvious being the regional politics that blight their domestic game. Time often blurs memories but I can't recall many times when Rush endured a barren spell. Moore's next task is to end a three-month barren spell dating back to his last goal, against Stoke City in September's 2-2 Turf Moor draw. All six played a part, in helping the county end a barren nine-year spell without Liam McCarthy. Since then though Rangers have endeared a barren spell and the pressure has been building on McLeish as O'Neill has transformed Celtic into one of the best teams in Europe. Teams and drivers sometimes go through a barren spell and, when success fails to come your way, it can lead you to doubt. Bolton's recent run of form has come despite a barren spell from Ricketts that has seen him go goalless since January 16. A fierce competitor whose feistiness has often boiled into rage, the captain, in the absence of Stefan Klos, says the fact this final comes on the back of a barren season means losing is not an option. Synonyms unproductive, unfruitful, unprofitable, unremunerative, arid 1.3archaic (of a woman) unable to have children. Example sentencesExamples One night a heavenly spirit appeared before the barren woman and told her that she would soon give birth to a son. Many too have heard of his marriage to the barren Princess Louise von Stolberg, who bore him no children, blatantly committed adultery and finally separated from him. Even if they loved each other very much, a man would be forced to divorce a barren wife due to the pressure from his own family. In Act Two the barren Lady Kix, lamenting her childless and unfruitful state, is overhead by Touchwood Senior. By contrast the prehistoric stones have been seen as male symbols of fertility with the power to impregnate barren women. Synonyms infertile, sterile, childless 1.4 (of a female animal) not pregnant or unable to become so. （雌性动物）不妊的；不育的 Example sentencesExamples Disturbing ewes or sudden changes in diet can cause embryo losses, the result is lower litter sizes and barren ewes. Samren moved his eyes from the barren fox to his son, Caspar. Because the reindeer females in this study were barren, changes in body mass showed the changes in body condition well. It concentrates the mind when you are block calving because you sell all your barren cows in one go. Pregnancy testing is done early and regularly to pull out barren cows. 2(of a place or building) bleak and lifeless. （地方，建筑）凄凉的，无生气的 the sports hall turned out to be a rather barren concrete building Example sentencesExamples When you're not talking, you'll undoubtedly be exploring the extremely barren environments within the game. They wanted to leave this barren place as soon as they could. Deeper into the barren city the polished buildings turn to dirty, smudged, rock-like towers, looking as if they were carved roughly out of stone. He lives in a small fishing village on the coast of Iceland, a bleak, barren place with one or two buildings, a few fussy townsfolk, and a lot of snow and cold. Obviously, he's hiding in the Spurs trophy room, a desperately barren place where no man ever goes. Without their kind the musical world would be an extremely barren place. The white of the barren room was a stark contrast to the blackness of the hole, up through which drifted faint scuffling sounds. Often times, the landscapes are bleak in the grayish washed out world of factories or barren landscapes of the indigenous lifeforms. Battles took place anywhere from a street in a city to a barren field. The funeral had taken all morning and thousands of angry mourners still milled around the barren cemetery in Gaza. He wanted it to bust out the front of his face, eat his whole body, rend him limb from limb and toss the severed remains of his body to the four winds of that bleak and barren place. When Allison Wright and Andy Kaplan purchased their Santa Monica home, the windows all along the side of their house faced a barren alley. After a safe distance from the city I put the car on cruise control; the roads were barren and lifeless. To the early British colonisers, Hong Kong was a barren place. I recognized the view of Abalone Mountain and Castle Rock from that barren site. The morning sun appeared above the Afghan village, the rays of golden light reaching out across the bleak and barren landscape. The place was barren and bleak, and as far as she could see it was devoid of any inhabitants. Very poignant - especially with families and tiny children cycling up the barren street… What had promised to be a cozy stop for the night proved to be a wide, barren space with a few buildings forming a ring around the well and only a few unwelcoming people to populate it. The world had become a barren place thanks to the bombing, devoid of anything similar to vegetation or existence, save for a few spots of land that had escaped the war. Synonyms bleak, stark, bare, drab, desolate, dreary, dismal, gloomy, sombre, forlorn, grim, stern, harsh, forbidding, uninviting, unwelcoming, cheerless 2.1 Empty of meaning or value. 无意义的，无价值的 those young heads were stuffed with barren facts Example sentencesExamples It is enamored with pop, the perfect tool to convey the vain, dull, shallow and barren ideas of modernity. No doubt there is a spiritual egoism, built on barren ideas concerning oneself with no real practice behind them, that one can easily fall into. It opens up windows on our society, our selves, and our barren ideas. Your mission is to capture the essence of a scene, not the barren facts. Synonyms pointless, futile, worthless, profitless, valueless, unrewarding, purposeless, useless, vain, aimless 2.2barren of Devoid of. the room was barren of furniture 房间里缺少家具。 Example sentencesExamples We rode through farm country where fields stretched as far as I could see, but barren of the crops Willie and I used to see when we came South during the summertime. But everyone exploits its use, until that time certain when it becomes soiled and haggard, barren of its previous virtues. As it stands, this site is barren of all such annoyances. By contrast, the modern day village is bleak, cold and almost barren of young people who have moved to the cities in search of work and a better life. Dark blood poured from the wounded and fallen unto the ruddy rust colored earth; barren of all vegetation and life. But both prefer the mirror to any sexual object, and both remain childless, barren of natural humanity. Wednesday morning looked a bit barren of good fringe meeting debates, so I made my selections with difficulty. All the time, labour, and money, bestowed by the Corporation during this period may be said to have been almost barren of beneficial results. Although the trees were barren of any flowers, there was something about the winter magic floating in the air that made the night so special. Our cuticles are already as barren of microbial life as the underside of an arctic glacier. Then the woods were gone entirely and only a few withered winter trees and boulders disrupted the now desert land - barren of all life and color. The sediments of the Grensen Formation are barren of all organic material and hence must be dated using radiometric and petrographic evidence alone. Selina pulled into the stadium parking lot, its asphalt turf barren of all vehicles except hers. Revenge is a film barren of much development, as it feels like nothing more than a bunch of independent scenes cobbled together. However, she was not barren of any color - her lips were colored a bright, glossy red. I like it too, it's very nice even though it's basically barren of all furniture. The Hill Country along South Mopac is remarkably barren of all-night food joints. We arrived to find more than a hundred years of unrestricted cattle grazing had left the arid canyon nearly barren of ground vegetation. The Democrats purposely chose a candidate with a 22-year history in elective office entirely barren of any distinction. Still, it was strange to see the school, empty and barren of all people. Synonyms lacking, without, free from, free of, empty of, vacant of, void of, bare of, barren of, bereft of, drained of, denuded of, deprived of, depleted of, destitute of, bankrupt of nounˈbɛrənˈberən usually barrensNorth American A barren tract or tracts of land. 〈主北美〉（一块）瘠地 crossing the barrens was no easy feat Example sentencesExamples Fire suppression, development and conversion of land to agricultural use have destroyed many of the pine barrens and oak savannas where the lupine grows. Data are needed on the effects of repeated applications of prescribed fires over several years to assess the effectiveness of prescribed fires as a restoration tool in barrens. However, through the core of the barrens a headwind-driven flame reached a height of one to 1.5 meters and ascended some small shrubs, saplings, and standing-dead trees. They encompass 2,400 square miles of wooded mountains, high-elevation bogs and pine barrens, replete with winding rivers and spectacular waterfalls. It has many similarities to the Blackbelt prairies and the barrens of Tennessee and Kentucky. The area, recognized as a dry-mesic barrens on the Illinois Natural Areas Inventory, was dedicated as an Illinois Nature Preserve in February of 2000. In Illinois, barrens occur throughout the state. I have to make some more somehow, I have to go even further out into the barrens to find things to talk about. This species, typical of mesic to dry-mesic upland forests, has wind-dispersed seeds and evidently readily invades barrens. I find the ecological barrens of the Euro-countryside to be depressing. Rolling hills, jagged rock barrens, steaming swamps, and dusty grey ashlands all appear crisp and clean to the eye and have an amazing amount of variety. He thought of the bliss the two kids had, him and Unico, as they raced across the barrens plains, past the sign, and darting through the stone forest. The prairie barrens occur on limestone with shallow clayey soils that are well-drained. After exploring gentle mountain slopes, taiga flatland and highland barrens, we suddenly reached the plateau's edge. Dry barrens offer an exceptional opportunity to examine fire effects on community structure, composition, and diversity patterns in savannalike natural communities. Also, the hard winds across the barren spare the tight-pressed herds the worst of the mosquito hordes and biting flies. Galloping through the tall trees in forest woodlands or winding our way slowly over miles of alien, stony-gray barrens, we came to know a place apart from our comfort zones. Serpentinite barrens are visible on both sides of the Staten Island Expressway where bedrock was exposed when new roads were cut during the mid-1960s. Quite unlike today's northern barrens, it combined Arctic tundra with fertile loess soil and low latitudes the Eurasian tundra belt having been pushed far to the south by the Scandinavian icecap. The other is a mosaic of sand barrens and woodland and in this case, poor soil has probably slowed succession. Origin Middle English: from Old French barhaine, of unknown origin.
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