n. [ OE. barbour, OF. barbeor, F. barbier, as if fr. an assumed L. barbator, fr. barba beard. See 1st Barb. ] One whose occupation it is to shave or trim the beard, and to cut and dress the hair of his patrons. [ 1913 Webster ]

Barber's itch. See under Itch. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Barbered p. pr. & vb. n. Barbering. ] To shave and dress the beard or hair of. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Meteor.) A storm accompanied by driving ice spicules formed from sea water, esp. one occurring on the Gulf of St. Lawrence; -- so named from the cutting ice spicules. [ Canada ] [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

. (Zool.) See Surgeon fish. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A fop. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. barbarin, barbere, OF. berbere. ] (Bot.) A shrub of the genus Berberis, common along roadsides and in neglected fields. Berberis 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, esp. the bark of the root. [ Also spelt berberry. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. a shop where a barber works, especially one where men can get their hair cut. [ WordNet 1.5 +PJC ]

n. a pole with red and white spiral stripes; -- usually found outside a barbershop. It is often electrically powered, so as to be turning when the barbershop is open for business and stationary when the shop is closed. It symbolizes the practise of surgery, some aspects of which which used to be performed by barbers. [ PJC ]