Collins English-English Dictionary

barb [bɒːb]

1. 1. n a subsidiary point facing in the opposite direction to the main point of a fish-hook, harpoon, arrow, etc, intended to make extraction difficult

2. 2. n any of various pointed parts, as on barbed wire

3. 3. n a cutting remark; gibe

4. 4. n any of the numerous hairlike filaments that form the vane of a feather

5. 5. n a beardlike growth in certain animals

6. 6. n a hooked hair or projection on certain fruits

7. 7. n any small cyprinid fish of the genus Barbus (or Puntius) and related genera, such as B. conchonius (rosy barb)

8. 8. n [usually plural] any of the small fleshy protuberances beneath the tongue in horses and cattle

9. 9. n a white linen cloth forming part of a headdress extending from the chin to the upper chest, originally worn by women in the Middle Ages, now worn by nuns of some orders

10. 10. n [obsolete] a beard

11. 11. vt. [tr] to provide with a barb or barbs

12. 12. vt. [Etymology] C14: from Old French barbe beard, point, from Latin barba beard

barb [bɒːb]

1. 1. n a breed of horse of North African origin, similar to the Arab but less spirited

2. 2. n [Etymology] C17: from French barbe, from Italian barbero a Barbary (horse)

barb [bɒːb]

1. 1. n [Austral] a black kelpie - See kelpie

2. 2. n [Etymology] C19: named after one that was named Barb after a winning racehorse