beard: Meaning and Definition of

beard

1. the growth of hair on the face of an adult man, often including a mustache.
2. a tuft, growth, or part resembling or suggesting a human beard, as the tuft of long hairs on the lower jaw of a goat or the cluster of hairlike feathers at the base of the bill in certain birds.
3. a tuft or growth of awns or the like, as on wheat or barley.
4. a barb or catch on an arrow, fishhook, knitting needle, crochet needle, etc.
5. Also called
1. the sloping part of a type that connects the face with the shoulder of the body.
2. Brit.the space on a type between the bottom of the face of an x-high character and the edge of the body, comprising both beard and shoulder.
3. the cross stroke on the stem of a capital G. See diag. undertype.

1. to seize, pluck, or pull the beard of: The hoodlums bearded the old man.
2. to oppose boldly; defy: It took courage for the mayor to beard the pressure groups.
3. to supply with a beard.

Beard

1. 1874–1948, and his wife1876–1958, U.S. historians.
2. 1850–1941, U.S. artist and naturalist: organized the Boy Scouts of America in 1910.