Definition Definition

Barb - Meaning and Examples

Meaning of 'Barb' (Webster Dictionary)

1 . Barb [ n.]
- Beard, or that which resembles it, or grows in the place of it.
- A muffler, worn by nuns and mourners.
- 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.
- 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.
- A bit for a horse.
- One of the side branches of a feather, which collectively constitute the vane. See Feather.
- A southern name for the kingfishes of the eastern and southeastern coasts of the United States; -- also improperly called whiting.
- A hair or bristle ending in a double hook.
- The Barbary horse, a superior breed introduced from Barbary into Spain by the Moors.
- A blackish or dun variety of the pigeon, originally brought from Barbary.
- Armor for a horse. Same as 2d Bard, n., 1.
2 . Barb [ v. t.]
- To shave or dress the beard of.
- To clip; to mow.
- To furnish with barbs, or with that which will hold or hurt like barbs, as an arrow, fishhook, spear, etc.

Meaning of 'Barb' (Princeton's WordNet)

1 . barb [ n]
Meaning (1):
- an aggressive remark directed at a person like a missile and intended to have a telling effect
Example in sentence:
  • his parting shot was `drop dead';
  • she takes a dig at me every chance she gets;
  • she threw shafts of sarcasm
2 . barb [ v]
Meaning (2):
- provide with barbs
Example in sentence:
  • barbed wire