barnstorm
barnstorm Lexical Profile
barnstorm Game Scores & Validity
• verb
North American To tour rural districts or small towns making brief stops to give theatrical performances, play exhibition games, or deliver political campaign speeches.
"The candidate plans to barnstorm across the state next week to rally support in rural communities."
North American To travel around the countryside in a small airplane performing aerial stunts and offering brief sightseeing flights to paying passengers.
"After World War I, many former military pilots bought surplus biplanes to barnstorm across the Midwest."
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined in late 19th-century American English from 'barn' and 'storm', originally referring to itinerant actors who performed melodramas in rural barns and later extended to stunt aviators, touring athletes, and campaigning politicians.