different between farb vs barb

English

Etymology

Disputed. Various explanations of the origin are given:

• That it is a contraction of the phrase "far be it from me to criticize anyone, but...", or of "far below" (the expected standard).
• That it comes from the German word Farbe ("colour") (many fabrics dyed with modern dyes are "too colourful" to be authentic, by comparison with their historical originals).
• There exists a letter dated 1 April 1863 from an A.R. Crawford in the 76th Illinois Infantry, Co D, that uses the phrase, "fallacious accoutrements & reprehensible baggage," in description of six children posing in phony military gear during a sham reenactment that took place during the actual Civil War. Many point to this phrase as the origin of the word, citing "farb" as an acronym.
• Many early replica rifles were marked with what looked like "F.A.R.B" among the proofmarks. Removing this would make the rifle look more authentic.

Pronunciation

Noun

farb (plural farbs)

1. (US) A historical reenactor (especially an American Civil War reenactor) whose efforts at a historically accurate portrayal are, in the opinion of the speaker, inadequate (for example, wearing a modern wristwatch with period costume). The opposite of farb is "hard-core" (or hardcore), someone who is, in the opinion of the speaker, an "authenticity fanatic".

Derived terms

• farby

Verb

farb (third-person singular simple present farbs, present participle farbing, simple past and past participle farbed)

1. (US, slang, intransitive) To act like a farb; to portray a historical character in an inauthentic way.

Anagrams

• barf, frab

Polish

Noun

farb f

1. genitive plural of farba

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /b??(?)b/
• Rhymes: -??(?)b

Etymology 1

From Middle English barbe, from Middle French barbe, from Old French barbe (“beard, beard-like element”). Doublet of beard.

Noun

barb (plural barbs)

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.
   • 1545, Roger Ascham, Toxophilus

     Having two barbs or points.

2. (figuratively) A hurtful or disparaging remark.
3. A beard, or that which resembles it, or grows in the place of it.

   • The barbel is so called […] by reason of his barbs, or wattles at his mouth.

4. (ornithology) One of the many side branches of a feather, which collectively constitute the vane.
5. (ichthyology) Any of various species of freshwater carp-like fish that have barbels and belong to the cyprinid family.
6. (US) The sciaenid fish Menticirrhus americanus, found along the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts of the United States.

   Synonyms: Carolina whiting, king whiting, southern kingcroaker, southern kingfish

7. (botany) A hair or bristle ending in a double hook.
8. (obsolete) A muffler, worn by nuns and mourners.
9. 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.

   Synonyms: barbel, barble

10. (obsolete) A bit for a horse.

    (Can we find and add a quotation of Spenser to this entry?)

11. A plastic fastener, shaped roughly like a capital I (with serifs), used to attach socks etc. to their packaging.

Translations

Verb

barb (third-person singular simple present barbs, present participle barbing, simple past and past participle barbed)

1. To furnish with barbs, or with that which will hold or hurt like barbs, as an arrow, fishhook, spear, etc.
   • 1674, John Milton, Paradise Lost, Book 6, lines 544-6, [2]

     […] for this day will pour down, / If I conjecture aught, no drizzling shower, / But rattling storm of arrows barbed with fire.

   • 1944, Emily Carr, The House of All Sorts, "Meg the Worker," [3]

     Her coat was a tangled mass, barbed with last year's burs, matted disgustingly with cow dung.

2. (Nigeria) To cut (hair).
3. (obsolete) To shave or dress the beard of.
4. (obsolete) To clip; to mow.
   • 1603, John Marston, The Malcontent

     The stooping scythe-man , that doth barb the field

Translations

Etymology 2

Clipping of Barbary.

Noun

barb (plural barbs)

1. The Barbary horse, a superior breed introduced from Barbary into Spain by the Moors.
2. A blackish or dun variety of pigeon, originally brought from Barbary.

Etymology 3

Clipping of barbiturate.

Noun

barb (plural barbs)

1. (informal, pharmacology) A barbiturate.

   Coordinate term: benzo

Etymology 4

Corruption of bard.

Noun

barb (plural barbs)

1. Armor for a horse.
   • 1786, Francis Grose, A Treatise on Ancient Armour and Weapons, page 29:

     The defensive armor with the horses of the ancient knights ... These are frequently, though improperly, stiled barbs.

Translations

Verb

barb (third-person singular simple present barbs, present participle barbing, simple past and past participle barbed)

1. To cover a horse in armor.

Further reading

• barb on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• barb (fish) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• Barb in the Encyclopædia Britannica (11th edition, 1911)

Anagrams

• BBAR, Rabb, abbr, abbr.

Catalan

Etymology

From Latin barbus.

Pronunciation

• (Balearic, Valencian) IPA^(key): /?ba?p/
• (Central) IPA^(key): /?barp/

Noun

barb m (plural barbs)

1. barbel

Further reading

• “barb” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.

Manx

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Adjective

barb (plural barbey, comparative barbey)

1. sharp, drastic
2. cruel, rough

Derived terms

• neuvarb

Noun

barb m (genitive singular [please provide], plural [please provide])

1. sharp point, javelin

Mutation