[Ads-l] Barb (n.) = "cutting remark" obscure in the OED?

Joel Berson berson at ATT.NET
Sat Apr 4 15:05:43 UTC 2015


"Barb" as a "cutting remark" seems rather buried as "fig." under "barb, n.1", sense 8, which is "A sharp process curving back from the point of a piercing weapon (e.g. an arrow or spear, which have two, a fish-hook, which has one), rendering its extraction from a wound, etc. more difficult." 

Joel


------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org



More information about the Ads-l mailing list