of jeering is earlier than that of supporting, but jeering at
one side is akin to cheering for the other. Another suggested
derivation is from the Irish pronunciation of "Bark," as
(according to the usually accepted view) "Larrikin" from
"larking." But the former explanation is the more probable.
There is no connection with soldiers' "barracks;" nor is it
likely that there is any, as has been ingeniously suggested,
with the French word <i>baragouin</i>, gibberish.

1890. `Melbourne Punch,' Aug. 14, p. 106, col. 3:

"To use a football phrase, they all to a man `barrack' for the
British Lion."

1893. `The Age,' June 17, p. 15, col. 4:

"[The boy] goes much to football matches, where he barracks,
and in a general way makes himself intolerable."

1893. `The Argus,' July 5, p. 9, col. 4, Legislative Assembly:

"<i>Mr. Isaacs</i>:. . . He hoped this `barracking' would not
be continued." [Members had been interrupting him.]

1893. `The Herald' (Melbourne), Sept. 9, p. 1, col. 6:

"He noticed with pleasure the decrease of disagreeable
barracking by spectators at matches during last season.
Good-humoured badinage had prevailed, but the spectators had
been very well conducted."

<hw>Barracker</hw>, <i>n</i>. one who barracks (q.v.).

1893. `The Age,' June 27, p. 6, col. 6:

"His worship remarked that the `barracking' that was carried on
at football matches was a mean and contemptible system, and was
getting worse and worse every day. Actually people were afraid
to go to them on account of the conduct of the crowd of
`barrackers.' It took all the interest out of the game to see
young men acting like a gang of larrikins."

1894. `"The Argus,' Nov. 29, p. 4, col. 9:

"The `most unkindest cut of all' was that the Premier, who was
Mr. Rogers's principal barracker during the elections, turned
his back upon the prophet and did not deign to discuss his
plan."

<hw>Barracks</hw>, <i>n</i>. a building on a station with rooms
for bachelors.

1890. Rolf Boldrewood, `A Colonial Reformer,' p. 100

"A roomy, roughly-finished building known as the `barracks.'
. . . . Three of the numerous bedrooms were tenanted by young
men, . . . neophytes, who were gradually assimilating the love
of Bush-land."

<hw>Barracouta</hw>, or <hw>Barracoota</hw>, <i>n</i>. The
name, under its original spelling of <i>Barracuda</i>, was
coined in the Spanish West Indies, and first applied there to a
large voracious fish, <i>Sphyra