barb
from
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)
barb
n 1: an aggressive remark directed at a person like a missile
and intended to have a telling effect; "his parting shot
was `drop dead'"; "she threw shafts of sarcasm"; "she takes
a dig at me every chance she gets" [syn: {shot}, {shaft},
{slam}, {dig}, {barb}, {jibe}, {gibe}]
2: the pointed part of barbed wire
3: a subsidiary point facing opposite from the main point that
makes an arrowhead or spear hard to remove
4: one of the parallel filaments projecting from the main shaft
of a feather
v 1: provide with barbs; "barbed wire"
from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Barb \Barb\ (b[aum]rb), n. [F. barbe, fr. L. barba beard. See
{Beard}, n.]
1. Beard, or that which resembles it, or grows in the place
of it.
[1913 Webster]
The barbel, so called by reason of his barbs, or
wattles in his mouth. --Walton.
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2. A muffler, worn by nuns and mourners. [Obs.]
[1913 Webster]
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}.]
[1913 Webster]
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.
[1913 Webster]
5. A bit for a horse. [Obs.] --Spenser.
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6. (Zool.) One of the side branches of a feather, which
collectively constitute the vane. See {Feather}.
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7. (Zool.) A southern name for the kingfishes of the eastern
and southeastern coasts of the United States; -- also
improperly called {whiting}.
[1913 Webster]
8. (Bot.) A hair or bristle ending in a double hook.
[1913 Webster]
from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Barb \Barb\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Barbed} (b[aum]rbd); p. pr. &
vb. n. {Barbing}.]
1. To shave or dress the beard of. [Obs.]
[1913 Webster]
2. To clip; to mow. [Obs.] --Marston.
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3. To furnish with barbs, or with that which will hold or
hurt like barbs, as an arrow, fishhook, spear, etc.
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But rattling storm of arrows barbed with fire.
--Milton.
[1913 Webster]
from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Barb \Barb\, n. [F. barbe, fr. Barbarie.]
1. The Barbary horse, a superior breed introduced from
Barbary into Spain by the Moors.
[1913 Webster]
2. (Zool.) A blackish or dun variety of the pigeon,
originally brought from Barbary.
[1913 Webster]
from
Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0
113 Moby Thesaurus words for "barb":
Amytal, Amytal pill, Demerol, Dolophine, H, Luminal, Luminal pill,
M, Mickey Finn, Nembutal, Nembutal pill, Seconal, Seconal pill,
Tuinal, Tuinal pill, alcohol, amobarbital sodium, analgesic,
anodyne, antenna, arrow, arrowhead, barbel, barbiturate,
barbiturate pill, barbule, barrel, black stuff, blue, blue angel,
blue devil, blue heaven, blue velvet, bobtailed arrow, bolt,
bristle, calmative, cat whisker, chested arrow, chloral hydrate,
cilium, cloth yard shaft, codeine, codeine cough syrup, dart,
depressant, depressor, dolly, downer, feeler, filament,
filamentule, flight, goofball, hard stuff, heroin, hop, horse,
hypnotic, junk, knockout drops, laudanum, liquor, lotus,
meperidine, methadone, morphia, morphine, narcotic, opiate, opium,
pacifier, pain killer, paregoric, pen yan, phenobarbital,
phenobarbital sodium, purple heart, quarrel, quietener, quill,
rainbow, red, reed, scag, secobarbital sodium, sedative, setula,
setule, shaft, shit, sleep-inducer, sleeper, sleeping draught,
sleeping pill, smack, sodium thiopental, somnifacient, soother,
soothing syrup, soporific, striga, stubble, tactile hair,
tactile process, tar, tranquilizer, turps, vibrissa, volley,
white stuff, yellow, yellow jacket
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