BARB • DICTIONARY ONE.COM • Definition of Barb

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/bɑrb/ Listen

noun

Barb n.

1.

Beard, or that which resembles it, or grows in the place of it. "The barbel, so called by reason of his barbs, or wattles in his mouth."

2.

A muffler, worn by nuns and mourners. (Obs.)

3.

pl. Paps, or little projections, of the mucous membrane, which mark the opening of the submaxillary glands under the tongue in horses and cattle. The name is mostly applied when the barbs are inflamed and swollen. (Written also barbel and barble)

4.

The point that stands backward in an arrow, fishhook, etc., to prevent it from being easily extracted. Hence: Anything which stands out with a sharp point obliquely or crosswise to something else. "Having two barbs or points."

5.

A bit for a horse. (Obs.)

6.

(Zool.) One of the side branches of a feather, which collectively constitute the vane. See Feather.

7.

(Zool.) A southern name for the kingfishes of the eastern and southeastern coasts of the United States; also improperly called whiting.

8.

(Bot.) A hair or bristle ending in a double hook.

Barb n.

1.

The Barbary horse, a superior breed introduced from Barbary into Spain by the Moors.

2.

(Zool.) A blackish or dun variety of the pigeon, originally brought from Barbary.

Barb n. Armor for a horse. Same as 2d Bard, n., 1.

verb

Barb v. t. (past & past part. barbed; pres. part. barbing)

1.

To shave or dress the beard of. (Obs.)

2.

To clip; to mow. (Obs.)

3.

To furnish with barbs, or with that which will hold or hurt like barbs, as an arrow, fishhook, spear, etc. "But rattling storm of arrows barbed with fire."

See images of 'Barb'

Etymology of 'Barb'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Barb" Quotes from Famous Books

... few wayfarers, and those we encounter are full of suspicion. Now and again we pass some country kaid or khalifa out on business. As many as a dozen well-armed slaves and retainers may follow him, and, as a rule, he rides a well-fed Barb with a fine crimson saddle and many saddle cloths. Over his white djellaba is a blue selham that came probably from Manchester; his stirrups are silver or plated. He travels unarmed and seldom uses spurs—a packing needle serves as an effective substitute. When he has spurs they are simply spear-heads—sharp ...

— Morocco • S.L. Bensusan

... woman, came dashing down the slope after them. Once in the shelter of the rocks, Hawk-Eye turned and faced his pursuers. When they had almost reached his hiding-place he gave a fierce yell and threw his spear. It was a very well made spear with a bone barb on the end, and it struck the leader of the wild tribe in the thigh. With a shriek of pain he fell to the ground. Then he seized the spear and pulled it out ...

— The Cave Twins • Lucy Fitch Perkins

... Bangs earnestly. "You ought to know your own name!" he went on severely. "It's Smith—and you're a barb from the cornfield! You've come to Siwash to forget how to plow and to-morrow you're going to organize a Smith Club. Do you hear? Don't let me catch you forgetting ...

— At Good Old Siwash • George Fitch

... Antelope and the river Concho is the water-hole. The land immediately surrounding the water-hole is enclosed with a barb-wire fence. Within the enclosure is a ranch-house painted white, a scrub-cedar corral, a small stable, and a lean-to shading the water-hole from the desert sun. The place is altogether neat and habitable. It is rather a surprise to the chance wayfarer to ...

— Sundown Slim • Henry Hubert Knibbs

... Revised Stat. 386. The Code of Procedure appears to have changed the law in this respect, and to enable parties to make such bargains as they please with their attorneys. Code of Procedure, s. 258; Satterlee v. Frazer, 2 Sandf. S. C. Rep. 142; Benedict v. Stuart, 23 Barb. 420; Ogden v. Des Arts, 4 Duer (N. Y.), 275; Sedgwick v. Stanton, 4 Kernan, 289. In Kentucky there appears to be a statute, which provides that any one not a party, receiving as compensation for services in prosecuting or defending a suit the whole or part of the subject-matter in ...

— An Essay on Professional Ethics - Second Edition • George Sharswood

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