barb

• abuse
• affront
• arrow
• attack
• brickbat
• bristle
• catcall
• criticism
• cut
• dart
• dig
• dis
• disapproval
• disgrace
• dishonor
• diss
• epithet
• gibe
• gird
• indignity
• insult
• invective
• jeer
• jibe
• knock
• mock
• name
• offence
• offense
• opprobrium
• outrage
• personality
• poke
• prickle
• prong
• put-down
• quill
• quip
• rebuff
• sarcasm
• scoff
• shaft
• shame
• slam
• slap
• slight
• slur
• sneer
• spike
• spur
• swipe
• taunt
• thistle
• thorn
• torment
• torture
• vituperation

• acclaim
• accolade
• adulation
• applause
• commendation
• compliment
• flattery
• kindness
• praise

• noun
  1. 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.
  2. A hurtful or disparaging remark.
  3. A beard, or that which resembles it, or grows in the place of it.
  4. Armor for a horse, corrupted from bard.
  5. A horse.
  6. One of the side branches of a feather, which collectively constitute the vane.
  7. Any of various species of freshwater carp-like fish that have barbels and belong to the cyprinid family.
  8. Menticirrhus americanus (Carolina whiting, king whiting, southern kingcroaker, and southern kingfish), found along the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts of the United States.
  9. A hair or bristle ending in a double hook.
  10. A blackish or dun variety of the pigeon, originally brought from Barbary.
  11. A muffler, worn by nuns and mourners.
  12. 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.].
  13. A bit for a horse.
  14. A plastic fastener, shaped roughly like a capital I (with serifs), used to attach socks etc. to their packaging.
  15. The Barbary horse, a superior breed introduced from Barbary into Spain by the Moors.
  16. A blackish or dun variety of pigeon, originally brought from Barbary.
  17. A barbiturate.
• verb
  1. To furnish with barbs, or with that which will hold or hurt like barbs, as an arrow, fishhook, spear, etc.
  2. To cover a horse in armor, corrupted from bard.
  3. To cut (hair).
  4. To shave or dress the beard of.
  5. To clip; to mow.

• The fisherman carefully removed the barb from the hook before releasing the fish.
• She felt the sharp barb of his comment, which was meant to hurt.
• The barb on the arrow was designed to ensure it wouldn't easily come out.
• His words were full of a hidden barb, leaving everyone uncomfortable.
• The barb on the cactus made it dangerous to handle without protection.

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