| barber | One whose occupation it is to shave or trim the beard, and to cut and dress the hair of his patrons. Barber's itch. See Itch. Formerly the barber practiced some offices of surgery, such as letting blood and pulling teeth. Hence such terms as barber surgeon (old form barber chirurgeon), barber surgery, etc. Origin: OE. Barbour, OF. Barbeor, F. Barbier, as if fr. An assumed L. Barbator, fr. Barba beard. See 1st Barb. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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| barber fish | <zoology> See Surgeon fish. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| barber surgeons | In the late middle ages barbers who also let blood, sold unguents, pulled teeth, applied cups, and gave enemas. They generally had the right to practice surgery. They began to acquire importance about 1100, when the monks, who required the barber's services for the tonsure, also had recourse to them for blood-letting, a practice required by ecclesiastic law. By the 18th century barbers continued to practice minor surgery and dentistry and many famous surgeons acquired their skill in the shops of barbers. (12 Dec 1998) |
| barber's itch | Tinea of the beard, occurring as a follicular infection or as a granulomatous lesion; the primary lesions are papules and pustules. Synonym: barber's itch, folliculitis barbae, ringworm of beard, tinea sycosis, trichophytosis barbae. (05 Mar 2000) |
| barbering | The occupation concerned with the cutting and dressing of the hair of customers and, of men, the shaving and trimming of the beard and mustache. (12 Dec 1998) |
| barberry | <botany> A shrub of the genus Berberis, common along roadsides and in neglected fields. B. Vulgaris is the species best known; its oblong red berries are made into a preserve or sauce, and have been deemed efficacious in fluxes and fevers. The bark dyes a fine yellow, especially. The bark of the root. [Also spelt berberry. Origin: OE. Barbarin, barbere, OF. Berbere. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| Blount-Barber disease | <disease> An acquired disease of the tibial bone of the leg, seen in young children. It will cause the leg to bow in an outward direction. (27 Sep 1997) |
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