Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Barb \Barb\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Barbed} (?); p. pr. & vb. n.
   {Barbing}.]
   1. To shave or dress the beard of. [Obs.]

   2. To clip; to mow. [Obs.] --Marston.

   3. To furnish with barbs, or with that which will hold or
      hurt like barbs, as an arrow, fishhook, spear, etc.

            But rattling storm of arrows barbed with fire.
                                                  --Milton.

Barbed \Barbed\, a. [See 4th {Bare}.]
   Accoutered with defensive armor; -- said of a horse. See
   {Barded} ( which is the proper form.) --Sir W. Raleigh.

Barbed \Barbed\, a.
   Furnished with a barb or barbs; as, a barbed arrow; barbed
   wire.

   {Barbed wire}, a wire, or a strand of twisted wires, armed
      with barbs or sharp points. It is used for fences.

Source : WordNet®

barbed
     adj 1: capable of wounding; "a barbed compliment"; "a biting
            aphorism"; "pungent satire" [syn: {biting}, {nipping},
             {pungent}, {mordacious}]
     2: having or covered with protective barbs or quills or spines
        or thorns or setae etc.; "a horse with a short bristly
        mane"; "bristly shrubs"; "burred fruits"; "setaceous
        whiskers" [syn: {barbellate}, {briary}, {briery}, {bristled},
         {bristly}, {burred}, {burry}, {prickly}, {setose}, {setaceous},
         {spiny}, {thorny}]