Barb vs Lance - What's the difference?
barb | lance |
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.
* :
(figuratively) A hurtful or disparaging remark.
A beard, or that which resembles it, or grows in the place of it.
*
Armor for a horse, corrupted from bard.
* 1786 , Francis Grose, A Treatise on Ancient Armour and Weapons , page 29:
(ornithology) One of the side branches of a feather, which collectively constitute the vane.
(zoology) Several species of freshwater fish of the cyprinid family.
(zoology) A southern name for the kingfishes of the eastern and southeastern coasts of the United States; also improperly called whiting.
(botany) A hair or bristle ending in a double hook.
(zoology) A blackish or dun variety of the pigeon, originally brought from Barbary.
(obsolete) A muffler, worn by nuns and mourners.
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.]
(obsolete) A bit for a horse.
A plastic fastener, shaped roughly like a capital I (with serifs), used to attach socks etc. to their packaging.
To furnish with barbs, or with that which will hold or hurt like barbs, as an arrow, fishhook, spear, etc.
*(John Milton) (1608-1674)
*:But rattling storm of arrows barbed with fire.
*
*:Orion hit a rabbit once; but though sore wounded it got to the bury, and, struggling in, the arrow caught the side of the hole and was drawn out. Indeed, a nail filed sharp is not of much avail as an arrowhead; you must have it barbed , and that was a little beyond our skill.
To cover a horse in armor, corrupted from bard.
*1592 , (William Shakespeare), , Act I, Scene I, line 10:
*:And now, in stead of mounting barbed steeds / To fright the souls of fearful adversaries, / He capers nimbly in a lady's chamber.
(lb) To shave or dress the beard of.
(lb) To clip; to mow.
:(Marston)
The Barbary horse, a superior breed introduced from Barbary into Spain by the Moors.
A blackish or dun variety of pigeon, originally brought from Barbary.
A weapon of war, consisting of a long shaft or handle and a steel blade or head; a spear carried by horsemen.
* 1590 , William Shakespeare, Henry VI , Part III, Act II, Scene III, line 15.
* 1909 , Charles Henry Ashdown, European Arms & Armor , page 65.
A wooden spear, sometimes hollow, used in jousting or tilting, designed to shatter on impact with the opposing knight’s armour.
* 1591 , William Shakespeare, Henry VI , Part I, Act III, Scene II, line 49.
(fishing) A spear or harpoon used by whalers and fishermen.
(military) A soldier armed with a lance; a lancer.
(military) An instrument which conveys the charge of a piece of ordnance and forces it home.
(founding) A small iron rod which suspends the core of the mold in casting a shell.
(pyrotechnics) One of the small paper cases filled with combustible composition, which mark the outlines of a figure.
(medicine) A lancet.
To pierce with a lance, or with any similar weapon.
To open with a lancet; to pierce; as, to lance a vein or an abscess.
To throw in the manner of a lance; to lanch.
As nouns the difference between barb and lance
is that barb is 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 or barb can be the barbary horse, a superior breed introduces from barbary into spain by the moors while lance is a weapon of war, consisting of a long shaft or handle and a steel blade or head; a spear carried by horsemen.As verbs the difference between barb and lance
is that barb is to furnish with barbs, or with that which will hold or hurt like barbs, as an arrow, fishhook, spear, etc while lance is to pierce with a lance, or with any similar weapon.barb
English
Etymology 1
From (etyl)Noun
(en noun)- Having two barbs or points.
- The barbel, so called by reason of his barbs, or wattles in his mouth.
- The defensive armor with the horses of the ancient knights ... These are frequently, though improperly, stiled barbs .
- (Spenser)
Verb
Etymology 2
From , by shorteningNoun
(en noun)See also
* (wikipedia "barb") *Anagrams
* * English terms with multiple etymologies ----lance
English
Noun
(en noun)- Thy brother’s blood the thirsty earth hath drunk, Broach’d with the steely point of Clifford’s lance ...
- The head of the lance was commonly of the leaf form, and sometimes approached that of the lozenge; it was very seldom barbed, although this variety, together with the others, appears upon the .
- What will you do, good greybeard? Break a lance, And run a-tilt at Death within a chair?
Derived terms
* free lance * lance bucket (cavalry) * lance corporal * lance fish (zoology) * lance knight * lance sergeant * lancer * lance snake (zoology) * stink-fire lance (military)Verb
(lanc)- Seized the due victim, and with fury lanced Her back. Dryden.