A lark, a romp, some fun.
"The rookie barney tried to stop every minor traffic violation without any regard for the driver's actual speed."
A police officer, usually one perceived as inferior or overzealous.
In plain English: Barney is an old-fashioned word for someone who acts silly, foolishly, or without thinking about consequences.
"They got into a huge barney over who forgot to pay for dinner."
Usage: The term "barney" is primarily British slang for an argument rather than the American meanings of police officer or playful romp. It should not be confused with the name Barney from The Flintstones when used in a general context without specific cultural reference.
To recite badly; to fail.
"The new trainee tried to barney a solo performance, stumbling over every lyric and missing several notes entirely."
insane crazy, loony.
"Stop acting like such a barney and get back to work immediately."
A male given name transferred from the surname, and a diminutive of Barnabas, Barnaby, Bernard, or Barnett.
"Barney was born to be a good friend."
The word barney likely comes from an old English personal name called Bera. Alternatively, it may derive from a phrase meaning "barley island."