每日一词学英语(122): barring

日本后天（周日，29号）举行大选，不出意外的话，执政的自民党会下台，这将成为1945年以来日本政坛的最大变动。Barring the unexpected, the party will be voted out of power tomorrow in the country’s biggest political upset since 1945. (From The Times, August 29, 2009: Election result could end 54-year run of Japan’s ruling party, the LDP)

这个词是介词，except for; unless there is/are。
*Barring accidents, we should arrive on time.