Barb, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Barbed p. pr. & vb. n. 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. --Milton.
Barbed a. Accoutered with defensive armor; -- said of a horse. See Barded (which is the proper form.)
Barbed, a. Furnished with a barb or barbs; as, a barbed arrow; barbed wire.
Barbed wire, a wire, or a strand of twisted wires, armed with barbs or sharp points. It is used for fences.
◄ ►
barbed
adj 1: capable of wounding; "a barbed compliment"; "a biting
aphorism"; "pungent satire" [syn: biting, nipping,
pungent, mordacious]
2: having or covered with protective barbs or quills or spines
or thorns or setae etc.; "a horse with a short bristly
mane"; "bristly shrubs"; "burred fruits"; "setaceous
whiskers" [syn: barbellate, briary, briery, bristled,
bristly, burred, burry, prickly, setose, setaceous,
spiny, thorny]