barb
barb — noun
- barbsingular
- barbsplural
1. A backward-facing spike of metal on a fish hook, arrow, or similar item, designe
A backward-facing spike of metal on a fish hook, arrow, or similar item, designed to prevent easy removal after the object has penetrated something.
Kwame checked the fishing hook and saw that the barb was still sharp and straight.
barb of a fishing hook
The barb on an arrow tip makes it almost impossible to pull from a target.
Nora used a pair of pliers to bend the fish hook barb backward slightly.
Ancient hunters carved a single barb into their spearheads to trap the animal.
A bent barb will not hold the fish, so Ang checked the hook before casting.
用法筆記
Often found in the compound 'barbed wire', which describes fencing wire fitted with sharp points.
2. A small, hook-shaped outgrowth on a plant or animal that faces backward, making
A small, hook-shaped outgrowth on a plant or animal that faces backward, making it difficult to pull out after it has stuck into something.
The barbs on a cactus spine help it cling to the fur of passing animals.
barbs on a plant
Sade studied the tiny barbs along the edge of the grass blade under a microscope.
A cat tongue has small barbs that help it scrape meat from bones.
The barbs on a porcupine quill point backward, making removal very painful.
Some burrs have tiny barbs that attach to clothing or fur for dispersal.
用法筆記
Frequently appears in the plural form because these barbs usually occur in groups on the organism.
3. A comment that seems humorous or light-hearted on the surface but contains a hid
A comment that seems humorous or light-hearted on the surface but contains a hidden insult or criticism intended to hurt someone.
Apinya's joke sounded friendly, but the barb in it was clearly aimed at her cousin.
hidden insult within a joke
The politician's speech was full of sharp barbs directed at her main opponent.
Arjun tried to ignore the cruel barbs that his classmates kept throwing at him.
Behind Walid's friendly smile, there was always a small barb waiting to come out.
Sven's comment about her presentation was a clever barb that made everyone laugh awkwardly.
- compliment
an expression of praise or admiration
用法筆記
Often used with adjectives like 'cruel', 'sharp', or 'clever' to describe the nature of the remark. The metaphor compares the remark to a fish hook that catches and hurts.
常見錯誤
4. One of the many thin, hair-like strands that extend sideways from the central st
One of the many thin, hair-like strands that extend sideways from the central stem of a feather and together form its flat, smooth surface.
The barbs of a feather branch from the shaft like the teeth of a comb.
barbs branch from feather shaft
When a bird preens, it runs each barb through its beak to keep them aligned.
Asher examined the feather under a magnifying glass and saw hundreds of tiny barbs.
Each barb on a feather hooks to the next one to create a smooth surface.
Water rolls off a duck feather because the barbs are coated with natural oil.
- vane
the entire flat part of a feather formed by all the barbs together, not each individual strand
用法筆記
This is a technical term used mainly in biology and ornithology (the study of birds). In everyday conversation, most people use the simpler word 'vane' to refer to the flat part of a feather.
barb — verb
- barbpresent simple I / you / we / they
- barbs3rd person singular
- barbing-ing form
- barbedpast simple
1. To fit or supply something, such as a hook, arrow, or wire, with sharp backward-
To fit or supply something, such as a hook, arrow, or wire, with sharp backward-pointing projections.
Mateo learned to barb his own fishing hooks before heading out to the lake.
barb a fishing hook
The blacksmith barbed the steel wire to create a strong fence for the farm.
barbed wire for fencing
Machines that barb wire run at high speed, twisting sharp points every few inches.
Jiwoo carefully barbed each arrowhead, filing the metal into a backward curve.
- fit with barbs
a slightly more formal way of expressing the same action
文法句型
barb + object
用法筆記
Most commonly encountered in the past participle form 'barbed' used as an adjective, as in 'barbed wire', 'barbed hook', or 'barbed remark'.