baralipton

[The word is not an ordinary one with an etymology; it is simply composed of symbolical letters, specially the vowels. A is a universal affirmative, I = a particular affirmative, and ton is a termination given for euphony.] Port., Ital., & Lat. barb a = beard.] A. Ordinary Language: I. Lit. A beard, or anything in an animal resembling it. "The barb a, or the barbe , or beard, is all the hair of the higher and lower lips."- R . Holme : Acad. of Armory (1688). II. Figuratively : 1. A kind of mask, hood, or muffler, worn by women, and specially by widows. It covered the lower part of the face and shoulders. "Do way your barbe , and shew your face bare." Chaucer: Troilus & Cre ide. (S. in Boucher.) 2. The points standing backwards in an arrow or a fishing-hook, which are designed to prevent its being easily extracted. "Nor le the Spartan fear'd, before he found The shining barb appear above the wound." Pope: Homer's Iliad. 3. Armour for a horse. "And turning to that place, in which whylere He left his loftie steed with golden sell And goodly gorgeous barbes Spenser: F. Q., II. ii. 11. "Their horses were naked, without any barbs; for albeit many brought barbs , few regarded to put them on."-Hayward. B. Technically : 1. Bot. (Plur.): Hairs dividing at the apex into forks, each prong of the fork being again hooked. 2. Mil . The same as A. II., 3 (q. v.).