barbed

Adjective

barbed (comparative more barbed, superlative most barbed)

1. Having barbs.
   • COCKATRICE an imaginary monster resembling a wivern with the head of a cock, the tongue barbed. It occurs displayed, but is ordinarily borne with the wings endorsed.1847, Henry Gough, A Glossary of Terms Used in British Heraldry: With a Chronological Table, Illustrative of Its Rise and Progress, page 81
2. Having barbs of a certain colour (as or similar to an arrow); beared.
   • Crest : A demi-cockatrice or, crested gules, stricken through the back of the neck with an arrow sable, barbed and flighted argent. Sable, two bars humettée or between a cock in fesse and a swan in chief and in base argent.1899, Thomas Benolt, The Visitations of the County of Surrey: Made and Taken in the Years 1530 by Thomas Benolte, Clarenceux King of Arms ; 1572 by Robert Cooke, Clarenceux King of Arms ; and 1623 by...
   • The cross barbed has its limbs terminated by arrow-heads; it is sometimes emblazoned cramponée and tournée, but Edmondson gives the last name to a totally different cross, one not unlike the cross fourchée.1915, Guy Cadogan Rothery, A. B. C. of Heraldry, page 24
3. Having gills or wattles (as a bird); wattled.
   • Ex. A Cock barbed and crested, (that is, wattled and combed, which signifies the Comb and Gills of a Cock, when born of a different Tincture from the Body)1729, Abel Boyer, Le Grand théâtre de l'honneur et de noblesse [assisted by John Innes?] (overall work in French and English), page 77
   • About the year 1446, he carried, as by our old books of blazons, quarterly, first and fourth Marr; second and third Lyle, as above blazoned; for crest, a cock or, crested and barbed gules: motto, An I may; supported by two[…]1804, Alexander Nisbet, A system of heraldry, speculative and practical: with the true art of Blazon ... Illustrated with suitable examples of armorial figures, and achievements of the most...
4. Having sepals or leaves between the petals (on a rose, etc).
   • PLANT (?Plantagenet). Arg. a rose gu. seeded or barbed vert.1874, John Woody Papworth, An Alphabetical Dictionary of Coats of Arms Belonging to Families in Great Britain and Ireland, page 859
5. (usually) Deliberately hurtful; biting; caustic.
6. Accoutered with defensive armor; barded.
   • Your Lordship may remember in your reading, that there were many Earles could bring into the field a thousand Barbed horses1638, Walter Raleigh, The Prerogative of Parliaments