Meaning Of Idiom ‘Barge In’ (Phrasal Verb)
1. to enter abruptly and rudely
2. to enter a room without knocking or announcing oneself
3. to enter a place suddenly and unexpectedly
4. to interrupt a conversation
If someone barges in, they are not invited or expected. The phrase barge in is also put as ‘barge into’ or ‘barge in on.’
When someone visits unannounced, a common apology is ‘Sorry to barge in…” This phrase is similar to the idiom ‘sorry to bother you.’
Sentence Examples
“Could you ask your mother not to barge into our bedroom any time she feels like it?”
“He said the police just barged into his house without knocking.”
“What have I told you about barging in here like we’re still married? Next time, call!”
“That new mom at the playground has a tendency to barge into conversations.”
“My brother is always barging in on me trying to borrow my records.”
“You do not just barge in here and demand an audience with the Cabinet.” — Wonder Woman (2017)
“You’d love for me to send out 20 agents Christmas Eve. We barge into your hotel, knock down the door, so you can make fools out of us all.” — Catch Me If You Can (2003)
“Nice to meet you. Sorry to barge in on you like this. I know how busy you guys can get.” — American Psycho (2000)
“I’m Peg Boggs. I’m your local Avon representative. I’m sorry to barge in like this, but you don’t have any reason to be afraid.” — Edward Scissorhands (1990)
“How can you diagnose someone as an obsessive-compulsive disorder and then act like I had a choice about barging in?” — As Good as It Gets (1997)
Origin
A barge is a large, clumsy, flat-bottom boat for carrying freight on rivers or canals. Barges are often unable to move under their own power and so are towed by another boat, making them even more clumsy and difficult to steer or stop. They therefore tend to bump into other boats, docks, or any object in their path.
To barge, used as a verb, seems to recall the rough nature of barge boats. It may be used in the sense of ‘to bump into’ or simply mean roughly or forcefully. In either case, this necessary but unelegant vessel is the origin of the idiom/phrasal verb ‘barge in,’ used since the late 1800s.