barb
pronunciation
How to pronounce barb in British English:
UK [bɑ:b]
How to pronounce barb in American English:
US [bɑrb]
-
- Noun:
- an aggressive remark directed at a person like a missile and intended to have a telling effect
- the pointed part of barbed wire
- a subsidiary point facing opposite from the main point that makes an arrowhead or spear hard to remove
- one of the parallel filaments projecting from the main shaft of a feather
-
- Verb:
- provide with barbs
- provide with barbs
Word Origin
- barb
- barb: see beard
- barb (n.)
- late 14c., "barb of an arrow," from Old French barbe (11c.) "beard, beardlike appendage," from Latin barba "beard," perhaps cognate with Old English beard (see beard (n.)).
- barb (v.)
- late 15c., "to clip, mow;" see barb (n.). Meaning "to fit or furnish with barbs" is from 1610s. Related: Barbed; barbing.
Example
- 1. Barb used to have a lot of friends in new york .
- 2. Barb , did you make any of this ?
- 3. I 've given barb an f on that assignment .
- 4. How 's it going with you and barb ?
- 5. But please , just call me barb .