barasway n also barrasway, barrisway, barrysway [phonetics unavailable]. DC barrasway (Nfld: 1842-); Glossaire: barachois [phonetics unavailable]; MASSIGNON i, 123. For occurrence in place-names, see SEARY 48, 173-4. See BARACHOIS.
1 A sand-bar.
[1766] 1976 HEAD 161 The harbor [of Grand Bank] was formed by a bay-mouth bar (a 'Barrysway' or barrachois, from the French), 'over which Boats can go at a [quarter] flood.'
2 A shallow river estuary, lagoon or harbour of fresh or salt water, sheltered from the sea by a sand-bar or low strip of land; cp COSH.
[1773] 1971 SEARY 48, 173 The name appears to be first recorded in Newfoundland by Lane in 1773 as G[reat] Barrysway and L[ittle] Barrysway, now BIG and LITTLE BARACHOIS (NTS Placentia), and presents an interesting example of a French name reverting to its French form after having been anglicized. 1823-4 Edin Phil J x, 158 There is coal of a good quality in St George's Bay, about eight miles from the sea-coast, up the South Barrasway River. 1842 JUKES i, 89 There was a shallow salt lake at the back of the harbour that filled at the rise of the tide, and was called by the people a Barrasway. This is a very common term for a shallow marshy inlet or salt lake along the south coast of Newfoundland. 1878 Nfld Pilot 126 Barasway point, the west point of Barasway bay, is a low promontory extending seaward from the slope of Father Hughes hill. 1933 GREENE 185 ... her d'at kapes de store at wan o' d'em Barrisways. 1937 DEVINE 7 Barrasway. A small harbour where small boats may shelter, enclosed, except the shoal narrow entrance, by a sand bar. 1950 PARKER 19 The French name, Barachois, was frequently given to a wide shallow river with a sandy bar across its mouth which is found in many parts of the country; it is now usually pronounced and sometimes written Barasway. 1971 NOSEWORTHY 1-2 The coast embraces a circular bay in which the shore is low with several sandy beaches, behind which are brackish water ponds, or 'barrisways,' good only for small boats.
