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Webster 1913 Edition

Barb

Barb

(bärb)
,
Noun.
[F.
barbe
, fr. L.
barba
beard. See
Beard
,
Noun.
]
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.
Walton.
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.”
Ascham.
5.
A bit for a horse.
[Obs.]
Spenser.
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

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Barbed
(bärbd)
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Barbing
.]
1.
To shave or dress the beard of.
[Obs.]
2.
To clip; to mow.
[Obs.]
Marston.
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.
Milton.

Barb

,
Noun.
[F.
barbe
, fr.
Barbarie
.]
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

,
Noun.
[Corrupted fr.
bard
.]
Armor for a horse. Same as 2d
Bard
,
Noun.
, 1.

Webster 1828 Edition

Barb

B'ARB

,
Noun.
[L.barba; This is beard, with a different ending. The sense may be, that which shoots out.]
1.
Beard, or that which resembles it, or grows in the place of it; as the barb of a fish, the smaller claws of the polypus,&c.
2.
The down, or pubes, covering the surface of some plants; or rather, a tuft or bunch of strong hairs terminating leaves.
3.
Anciently, armor for horses; formerly, barbe or barde.
4.
A common name of the barbary pigeon, a bird of a black or dun color.
5.
A horse from Barbary, of which it seems to be a contraction.
6.
The points that stand backward in an arrow, fish-hook or other instrument for piercing, intended to prevent its being extracted.
7.
In botany, a straight process armed with teeth pointing backward like the sting of a bee. This is one sort of pubescence.

Definition 2024

Barb

Barb

See also: barb and Barb.

English

Proper noun

Barb

  1. A diminutive of the female given name Barbara.

Noun

Barb ‎(plural Barbz)

  1. (slang) A fan of the American singer Nicki Minaj, especially a female one.
    • 2012, "Forward Line", Inpress, Issue 1235, August 2012, page 14:
      Minaj is thrilled to be returning to her legion of Aussie Barbz this October in a brand new full-scale arena show.
    • 2012, "The year in music", Fast Forward Weekly, 27 December 2012:
      I’m not a Barb, but Nicki Minaj totally made me do a 180 on the whole hating-her-songs-and-general-vibe thing I had going on when I went to review her in concert.
    • 2013, "Mariah talks about Idol feud", Postnoon, 9 January 2013, page 28:
      Lambs and Barbz, remain calm, but Mariah Carey is once again talking about her infamous feud with Nicki Minaj.
    • For more examples of usage of this term, see Citations:Barb.

Anagrams

barb

barb

See also: Barb and Barb.

English

Noun

barb ‎(plural barbs)

  1. 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.
    • (Can we date this quote?) Roger Ascham
      Having two barbs or points.
  2. (figuratively) A hurtful or disparaging remark.
  3. A beard, or that which resembles it, or grows in the place of it.
    • (Can we date this quote?) Izaak Walton
      The barbel, so called by reason of his barbs, or wattles in his mouth.
  4. Armor for a horse, corrupted from bard.
    • 1786, Francis Grose, A Treatise on Ancient Armour and Weapons, page 29:
      The defensive armor with the horses of the ancient knights ... These are frequently, though improperly, stiled barbs.
  5. (ornithology) One of the side branches of a feather, which collectively constitute the vane.
  6. (zoology) Several species of freshwater fish of the cyprinid family.
  7. (zoology) A southern name for the kingfishes of the eastern and southeastern coasts of the United States; also improperly called whiting.
  8. (botany) A hair or bristle ending in a double hook.
  9. (zoology) A blackish or dun variety of the pigeon, originally brought from Barbary.
  10. (obsolete) A muffler, worn by nuns and mourners.
  11. 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.]
  12. (obsolete) A bit for a horse.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Spenser to this entry?)
  13. A plastic fastener, shaped roughly like a capital I (with serifs), used to attach socks etc. to their packaging.
Translations

Verb

barb ‎(third-person singular simple present barbs, present participle barbing, simple past and past participle barbed)

  1. To furnish with barbs, or with that which will hold or hurt like barbs, as an arrow, fishhook, spear, etc.
    • 1674, John Milton, Paradise Lost, Book 6, lines 544-6,
      […] for this day will pour down, / If I conjecture aught, no drizzling shower, / But rattling storm of arrows barbed with fire.
    • 1879, Richard Jefferies, The Amateur Poacher, chapterII:
      Orion hit a rabbit once; but though sore wounded it got to the bury, and, struggling in, the arrow caught the side of the hole and was drawn out. Indeed, a nail filed sharp is not of much avail as an arrowhead; you must have it barbed, and that was a little beyond our skill.
    • 1944, Emily Carr, The House of All Sorts, "Meg the Worker,"
      Her coat was a tangled mass, barbed with last year's burs, matted disgustingly with cow dung.
  2. To cover a horse in armor, corrupted from bard.
    • 1592, William Shakespeare, Richard III, Act I, Scene I, line 10:
      And now, in stead of mounting barbed steeds / To fright the souls of fearful adversaries, / He capers nimbly in a lady's chamber […].
  3. (obsolete) To shave or dress the beard of.
  4. (obsolete) To clip; to mow.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Marston to this entry?)
Translations

Etymology 2

From Barbary, by shortening

Noun

barb ‎(plural barbs)

  1. The Barbary horse, a superior breed introduced from Barbary into Spain by the Moors.
  2. A blackish or dun variety of pigeon, originally brought from Barbary.

See also

Anagrams

Catalan

Noun

barb m ‎(plural barbs)

  1. barbel

Manx

Adjective

barb ‎(plural barbey, comparative barbey)

  1. sharp, drastic
  2. cruel, rough

Derived terms

Noun

barb m ‎(genitive singular [please provide], plural [please provide])

  1. sharp point, javelin

Mutation

Manx mutation
Radical Lenition Eclipsis
barb varb marb
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every
possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

Etymology

From Old French barbe ‎(“beard, beard-like element”)

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /bɑː(ɹ)b/
  • Rhymes: -ɑː(ɹ)b

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